Julian Brazier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Julian Brazier
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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 (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.
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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.
Images for kids
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Brazier in 2005
