Julian Brazier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Julian Brazier
TD
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Brazier in 2005
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| Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Reserves | |
| In office 14 July 2014 – 16 July 2016 |
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| Prime Minister | David Cameron |
| Member of Parliament for Canterbury |
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| In office 11 June 1987 – 3 May 2017 |
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| Preceded by | David Crouch |
| Succeeded by | Rosie Duffield |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 July 1953 Dartford, Kent, England |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse | Katharine Elizabeth Blagden |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Brasenose College, Oxford |
| Website | parliament..julian-brazier |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch/service | British Army |
| Years of service | 1972–1985 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | Special Air Service Parachute Regiment |
| Awards | Efficiency Decoration |
Sir Julian William Hendy Brazier TD (born 24 July 1953) is a British Conservative Party politician. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Canterbury from 1987 to 2017. An MP is a person elected to represent a group of people in the House of Commons, which is part of the UK Parliament. Since 2019, he has been the President of Catholics in the Conservative Party.
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Early Life and Education
Julian Brazier was born into a military family. His father was a lieutenant colonel in the army. Julian went to two private schools: the Dragon School in Oxford and Wellington College in Berkshire.
After school, he studied at Brasenose College, Oxford. He earned a degree in mathematics and philosophy. In 1973, he was the President of the Oxford University Conservative Association. This is a student group for those interested in the Conservative Party.
Military Service and Early Career
Julian Brazier joined the Territorial Army when he was 19 years old in 1972. The Territorial Army is a part-time volunteer branch of the British Army. He served for 13 years, including five years with a special unit called 21 SAS(R). He received the Efficiency Decoration award in 1993 for his service.
From 1975 to 1984, he worked for a company called Charter Consolidated Ltd. He worked in economic research and corporate finance. Later, he became a management consultant.
Start of Political Career
Julian Brazier first tried to become an MP in the 1983 United Kingdom general election for Berwick-upon-Tweed. However, he did not win that election.
In the 1987 United Kingdom general election, he ran for the Canterbury seat. This seat was considered a safe win for the Conservative Party. He won the election with a large number of votes and became the MP for Canterbury.
Time in Parliament
Early Roles in Government
After becoming an MP, Julian Brazier became a Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Gillian Shephard. A PPS helps a government minister with their work. He continued in this role after the 1992 United Kingdom general election.
In 1993, he resigned from his PPS role. He did this to protest against cuts being made to the country's defence budget. In 1996, he was named 'Backbencher of the Year' by Spectator magazine. A backbencher is an MP who is not a government minister or a main opposition spokesperson.
After the 1997 United Kingdom general election, he joined the Defence Select Committee. A select committee is a group of MPs who look closely at how the government is working.
Campaigning for Local Hospitals
Starting in 1998, Brazier led a campaign to stop the closure of Kent and Canterbury Hospital. He also supported its Cancer Centre. He raised these issues many times in Parliament and took part in public protests. The plans to close the hospital were stopped in 2005. He continued to support the hospital until he left Parliament in 2017.
Roles in Opposition
After the 2001 United Kingdom general election, Julian Brazier was given roles by Iain Duncan Smith, who was then the Leader of the Opposition. The Leader of the Opposition leads the main party that is not in power.
Brazier first became an Opposition Whip in 2001. A whip helps make sure MPs vote in line with their party's views. In 2002, he became a spokesperson for Work and Pensions. He also served as a spokesperson for Home Affairs and International Affairs.
After the 2005 United Kingdom general election, he remained on the frontbench. This means he was a senior spokesperson for his party. He was a spokesperson for Transport, focusing on shipping and aviation.
Views and Campaigns
Julian Brazier was a member of the Cornerstone Group of Conservative MPs. This group generally holds more traditional views within the Conservative Party.
In 2008, he suggested a law that would allow Parliament to ban very violent films and games. This would apply even if they had been approved by the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification).
During the campaign for the 2016 EU membership referendum, Julian Brazier supported the UK leaving the European Union.
Focus on Armed Forces
Because of his own military background, Brazier was very interested in issues related to the armed forces. He often spoke about military matters in the House of Commons. He was also part of the committee that worked on the Defence Reform Act 2014.
In 2010, Prime Minister David Cameron asked Brazier to join a group planning the future of Britain's reserve armed forces. This group's ideas were largely used by the government in 2013. In 2014, he became the Minister for Reserves at the Ministry of Defence.
Promoting Adventure for Young People
Julian Brazier was a co-chairman of the All Party Group for Adventure and Recreation in Society. He campaigned against rules that he felt stopped young people from having adventure opportunities. He was recognized for this work in 2015.
End of Parliamentary Career
Julian Brazier was made a knight in the 2017 New Year Honours. This means he received the title "Sir." In the general election 2017, he lost his seat in Canterbury to Rosie Duffield.
After Parliament
After leaving Parliament in 2017, Sir Julian Brazier became the non-executive chairman of a security company. He also became a director for a virtual reality company. He is still a trustee for the Summer Camps Trust.
He was an Honorary Colonel for a part of the Army Reserve until August 2023.
Personal Life
Julian Brazier married Katharine Elizabeth Blagden on 21 July 1984. They have three sons. His youngest son, John, was a local councillor for Westgate ward in Canterbury from 2015 to 2017. Julian Brazier's father-in-law was Brigadier Paddy Blagden, who was an expert in removing landmines for the United Nations.
