Shaun Bailey, Baron Bailey of Paddington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Bailey of Paddington
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Official portrait, 2025
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| Member of the House of Lords | |
| Life peerage 10 July 2023 |
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| Member of the London Assembly for Londonwide |
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| Assumed office 6 May 2016 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Shaun Sharif Bailey
30 May 1971 North Kensington, London, England |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse | Ellie Bailey |
| Children | 2 |
| Education |
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| Alma mater | London South Bank University |
| Signature |  |
Shaun Sharif Bailey, Baron Bailey of Paddington (born 30 May 1971) is a British politician and a member of the Conservative Party. He has been a member of the London Assembly since 2016. In July 2023, he also became a member of the House of Lords, which is the second house of the UK Parliament.
Bailey was born in North Kensington, London, to a family with British Jamaican roots. He earned a degree in computer-aided engineering from London South Bank University. Before entering politics, he co-founded a charity called MyGeneration in 2006 to help young people. The charity closed in 2012.
From 2010 to 2013, he worked as a special adviser on youth and crime for Prime Minister David Cameron. In 2021, Bailey was the Conservative candidate for Mayor of London. He came in second place to the current mayor, Sadiq Khan.
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Early Life and Education
Shaun Bailey was born on 30 May 1971 in North Kensington, a part of London. He and his younger brother were raised by their mother and other family members. His grandfather moved to the UK from Jamaica in 1947.
Bailey went to Henry Compton School in Fulham. When he was 12, he joined the Army Cadet Force, where he later became a Sergeant-Instructor and stayed for 10 years. He also enjoyed gymnastics. After secondary school, he attended Paddington College.
In a radio interview, Bailey talked about his youth and admitted he was involved in burglary as a teenager. He said he was part of a group of friends who did this. He has spoken about how some young people can become very protective of their local area.
Career Before Politics
Bailey graduated from London South Bank University at age 27 with a degree in computer-aided engineering. To pay for his university studies, he worked jobs like being a security guard at the old Wembley Stadium.
In 2006, Bailey helped start a charity called MyGeneration. The charity's goal was to help young people and their families who were facing social problems. The charity closed in 2012 because of money problems.
Political Journey
Trying to Become an MP
An MP, or Member of Parliament, is someone elected to the House of Commons to represent the people in their area. Bailey tried to become an MP for the Conservative Party several times.
- In 2010, he was the candidate for Hammersmith but lost the election.
- He also tried to be selected as the candidate for other areas before the 2015 election.
- In the 2017 election, he was the candidate for Lewisham West and Penge and finished in second place.
Government Adviser
From 2012 to 2013, Bailey worked as a special adviser to Prime Minister David Cameron. His job was to give advice on issues related to young people and crime.
London Assembly Member
In 2015, Bailey was chosen as a Conservative candidate for the London Assembly. He was elected in 2016. The London Assembly is a group of 25 people who check the work of the Mayor of London to make sure the city is run well.
House of Lords Member
In 2022, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson nominated Bailey to become a member of the House of Lords. On 10 July 2023, he was given the title Baron Bailey of Paddington. He now sits in the House of Lords as a life peer for the Conservative Party.
2021 London Mayoral Election
Campaign to be Mayor
In 2018, the Conservative Party chose Bailey as their candidate for the Mayor of London election. The election was planned for 2020 but was moved to 2021.
During his campaign, Bailey faced criticism for things he had said or written in the past. For example, he had once shared a social media post that had an offensive caption about the current mayor, Sadiq Khan. A spokesperson for Bailey said he would not have shared it if he had seen the caption.
He was also criticised for a pamphlet he wrote in 2005. In it, he said that celebrating Muslim and Hindu festivals "[robs] Britain of its community." He also confused the Hindu religion with the Hindi language. A top Conservative politician said Bailey's words were misunderstood.
What He Promised to Do
As a candidate for mayor, Bailey made several promises. These included:
- Hiring more police officers.
- Stopping the increase of the Congestion Charge (a fee for driving in central London).
- Building 100,000 homes that people could buy for £100,000 through a shared ownership plan.
- Creating a "London Infrastructure Bank" to help pay for big projects like Crossrail 2.
- Making all London buses electric.
- Putting CCTV on more London Underground lines to improve safety.
- Hiring 4,000 new youth workers and opening new youth centres.
Election Results
In the election, Bailey received over 893,000 first-choice votes (35%). After second-choice votes were counted, he had a total of over 977,000 votes (45%). However, Sadiq Khan was re-elected as Mayor of London. The result was closer than many people had expected.
Political Views
Bailey has said he is concerned about some modern ideas, stating that "the more liberal we have been, the more our communities have suffered." He has also said that the BBC, a major UK broadcaster, promotes these ideas.
He supported the UK leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, also known as Brexit.
Bailey has argued that police should be allowed to use stop and search powers more often to prevent crime. He also supports greater equality for black people. Speaking about the Black Lives Matter movement, he said it "made everybody feel they are racist and actually very few people are."
In 2021, he disagreed with a plan to review statues and street names in London. He argued that removing statues of historical figures does not change history.
Controversies
Gathering During COVID-19 Rules
In December 2021, newspapers reported that Bailey had attended a gathering at the Conservative Party's headquarters on 14 December 2020. At that time, London was under strict rules to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
A photo from the event showed Bailey and other people at the party. After the photo was published, Bailey resigned as the chairman of two London Assembly committees.
In November 2022, the police said they would not take action against anyone at the gathering because there was not enough evidence. However, in July 2023, the police decided to re-open the investigation after a video of the event was released.
Accusations of Insensitive Comments
Bailey has been accused of making comments that were insensitive to certain groups.
- Islam and Hinduism: In a 2005 pamphlet, he wrote that focusing on festivals like Diwali instead of Christmas could harm Britain's sense of community. He also made comments about people from South Asia bringing their culture with them. Critics called these comments "grotesque."
- Women: Bailey was accused of sexism after he suggested on TV that a female commentator could not be taken seriously if she also posted glamorous photos of herself online.
Personal Life
Bailey grew up in social housing in Ladbroke Grove, London, with his mother and other relatives. He is married to his wife, Ellie, and they have two children. He lives in a house that is co-owned with a housing association.
Bailey is a member of the Anglican church. He has also appeared regularly on the television channel GB News.
