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Sir Julian Brazier
TD
Julian Brazier solo.jpg
Brazier in 2005
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Reserves
In office
14 July 2014 – 16 July 2016
Prime Minister David Cameron
Member of Parliament
for Canterbury
In office
11 June 1987 – 3 May 2017
Preceded by David Crouch
Succeeded by Rosie Duffield
Personal details
Born (1953-07-24) 24 July 1953 (age 71)
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 (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 UK Parliament. Since 2019, he has been the President of Catholics in the Conservative Party.

Early Life and Education

Julian Brazier was born on 24 July 1953. His father was a lieutenant colonel in the military. 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.

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 army. He served for 13 years, including five years with the 21 SAS(R). In 1993, he received the Efficiency Decoration, an award for long service in the military.

Before becoming an MP, Brazier worked for different companies. He was involved in economic research and corporate finance. He also worked as a management consultant.

In the 1983 general election, Brazier tried to become an MP for Berwick-upon-Tweed. However, he did not win. In the 1987 general election, he ran for the Canterbury seat. He won this election and became the MP for Canterbury.

Parliamentary Work

Early Roles in Parliament

After the 1992 election, Julian Brazier became a Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Gillian Shephard. A PPS is like an assistant to a government minister. He later resigned from this role in 1993 to protest against cuts to defence spending.

In 1996, he was named 'Backbencher of the Year' by Spectator magazine. After the 1997 election, he joined the Defence Select committee. This committee is a group of MPs who look closely at military matters.

Campaign for Kent and Canterbury Hospital

Starting in 1998, Brazier led a campaign to stop the closure of Kent and Canterbury Hospital. He also supported its Cancer Centre. He raised the issue in Parliament many times and took part in public protests. The hospital's closure plans were stopped in 2005. He continued to campaign for the hospital until 2017.

Opposition Roles

After the 2001 general election, Julian Brazier took on roles in the opposition party. He was an Opposition Whip and later a spokesman for Work and Pensions. In 2003, he briefly served as a spokesman for Home Affairs. Later that year, he became a spokesman for International Affairs. After the 2005 general election, he continued as a spokesman for Transport, focusing on shipping and aviation.

Political Views and Campaigns

Julian Brazier was part of the Cornerstone Group, a group of Conservative MPs with more traditional views. As a Roman Catholic, he holds socially conservative beliefs.

In 2008, he suggested a law that would allow Parliament to ban very violent films and games. This would apply even if the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) had approved them.

During the lead-up to the 2016 EU membership referendum, Julian Brazier supported the UK leaving the European Union.

International and Military Interests

Brazier has a strong interest in military issues because of his own background. He often spoke about armed forces matters in the House of Commons. He was also part of the group that examined the Defence Reform Act 2014, a law about the military.

In 2010, Prime Minister David Cameron asked Brazier to join a special group. This group planned the future of Britain's reserve armed forces. Their ideas were largely used by the government in 2013. From 2010 to 2014, he was a member of the Defence Select Committee. In 2014, he became the Minister for Reserves at the Ministry of Defence.

Supporting Young People's Adventure

As co-chairman of the All Party Group for Adventure and Recreation in Society, Brazier campaigned for young people to have more adventure opportunities. He worked against rules that made it harder for young people to take part in adventurous activities. For this work, he was recognized with an award 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 Parliament to Rosie Duffield.

After Parliament

After leaving Parliament in 2017, Sir Julian Brazier took on new roles. He became the non-executive chairman of a security company that deals with counter-terrorism. He also became a director for a company that works with virtual reality. He is still a trustee of the Summer Camps Trust.

He was an Honorary Colonel for a military reserve group until August 2023.

Personal Life

Julian Brazier married Katharine Elizabeth Blagden on 21 July 1984. They have three sons. Twin sons were born in July 1990, and another son was born in December 1992. 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, an expert in removing landmines for the United Nations.

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