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Anthony Browne (politician)

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For other people named Anthony Browne, see Anthony Browne (disambiguation).

Anthony Howe Browne (born 19 January 1967) is a British politician, former journalist and public affairs executive who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for South Cambridgeshire from 2019 to 2024. He was appointed the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State of Transport, responsible for aviation, decarbonisation and the future of transport from November 2023 to July 2024.[1] He is a member of the Conservative Party.[2][3]

Anthony Browne
Official portrait, 2019
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Decarbonisation and Technology
In office
13 November 2023 – 5 July 2024
Prime MinisterRishi Sunak
Preceded byJesse Norman
Member of Parliament
for South Cambridgeshire
In office
12 December 2019 – 30 May 2024
Preceded byHeidi Allen
Succeeded byPippa Heylings
Personal details
Born
Anthony Howe Browne

(1967-01-19) 19 January 1967 (age 57)
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England
Political partyConservative
EducationThe Perse School
Hills Road Sixth Form College
Alma materTrinity Hall, Cambridge
Websiteanthonybrowne.org

Browne was previously a journalist at The Times, BBC and The Observer; an adviser to Boris Johnson when he was Mayor of London; chief executive of the British Bankers' Association and chairman of the UK Government's Regulatory Policy Committee.[4] He sat on the Boards of the International Banking Federation, the European Banking Federation and TheCityUK, and a range of financial technology companies.[5][6] As an MP, he served three years on the Treasury Select Committee and two years on the Public Accounts Commission as well as Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Environment. Browne was appointed as the Prime Minister’s first Anti-Fraud Champion.[7]

Early life

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Browne was born in Mill Road Maternity Hospital in Cambridge to parents Patrick and Gerd Browne.[3] He went to Fowlmere Primary School and was awarded a bursary to the fee-paying independent sector The Perse School. He did his A levels at the state sector Hills Road Sixth Form College in Cambridge, and then studied mathematics at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, receiving a BA (Hons) in 1988.[8][3]

Career

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Journalism

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Browne began his career as a journalist. He worked for the BBC as a researcher for The Money Programme from 1993 to 1994, before becoming a broadcast journalist at Business Breakfast from 1994 to 1995.

He was business reporter and economics correspondent for the BBC (1993–1998); economics correspondent, health editor and environment correspondent for The Observer newspaper (1998–2002); and environment editor, Europe correspondent, and chief political correspondent for The Times (2002–2007). When Europe correspondent for The Times, he covered the enlargement of the EU to Eastern Europe, and the appointment of Peter Mandelson as European Commissioner. He also reported for The Times from Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein.

Browne was a columnist for City AM[9] and one of the founding columnists of the website ConservativeHome.[10] As Environment Editor of the Observer, Browne broke the exclusive that 1999 was the hottest year of the second millennium.[11] Browne was in New York on 11 September 2001, and covered the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers for The Guardian and its sister paper, The Observer.[12][13]

Browne wrote in 2003 that immigration from Africa had become the main cause of new HIV infections in the UK.[14] In an article the Spectator he suggested that the government's policy of mass migration would claim lives due to "letting in too many germs" and that reducing immigration would have more of an impact on public health than recommending that people use condoms.[15]

Think tanks

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Browne was Director of the entre-right think tank Policy Exchange for eighteen months during 2007 to 2008 where he succeeded the founding director Nick Boles.[16]

Browne has written and contributed to various publications, including a book on whether Britain should join the European single currency, which entered the Sunday Times best-seller list; a pamphlet published by Civitas: The Institute for the Study of Civil Society discussing mass immigration which won Prospect magazine's think tank publication of the year award in 2003; and a Joseph Rowntree Foundation book on social evils; and a report for the think tank Open Europe supporting subsidiarity in the EU.

Lobbyist

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After working for Boris Johnson, Browne became Morgan Stanley's head of government relations for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.[17]

British Bankers' Association

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Browne was appointed to the BBA in June 2012, two weeks before the LIBOR scandal broke.[18][19] Marcus Agius, the chairman of the BBA who appointed Browne, promptly resigned.[20]

Browne was responsible for implementing reforms of LIBOR proposed by a review led by Martin Wheatley, the then head of the Financial Conduct Authority.[21][22] Browne then worked with a government-appointed tendering committee chaired by Baroness Hogg to transfer operation of LIBOR from the BBA.[23] Responsibility for the operation of LIBOR was transferred from the BBA to NYSE Euronext in January 2014.[24] As part of the ensuing Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards, chaired by Andrew Tyrie, Browne co-ordinated the industry to establish the Banking Standards Board.

Browne also set up the BBA's first Consumer Panel.[25] In the wake of the 2016 referendum on Brexit, Browne warned, in an article in The Observer newspaper, that British-based banks were about to relocate operations to the EU, with their hands "quivering over the relocate button".[26]

In April 2017, he announced he was stepping down after five years as CEO, when the BBA merged with five other trade associations to form UK Finance.[27][28]

Politics

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Browne was Policy Director for Economic Development for Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, from 2008 to 2011.[29] He was in charge of economic and business policy for London, sitting on the board of the London Development Agency,[30] as an observer on the London Skills and Employment Board, and TheCityUK, which represents UK financial services. He was also chairman of the Mayor's Digital Advisory Board. Browne was the manifesto director for Boris Johnson's successful re-election campaign from 2011 to 2012.[3]

On 20 July 2019, Browne was announced as the Conservative parliamentary candidate for South Cambridgeshire.[2] Labour called for Boris Johnson to reject him as a candidate after accusing him of displaying "disgusting racism" in his journalism in the early 2000s.[15] In an interview with the Cambridge Independent on 24 July 2019 to discuss his selection, Browne sought to distance himself from the views he had expressed as a journalist. When asked about the statements, he said "I went through a phase as a young journalist trying to get attention and it is not language I would use now. I regret saying it."[31]

Browne was elected as member for South Cambridgeshire in December 2019 with a majority of 2,904.[32] He was later elected as a member of the Treasury Select Committee and Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group of the Environment in 2020[33] and serves as a member of the a Public Accounts Commission.

On 5th July 2022, Browne published a letter of no confidence in the Prime Minister Boris Johnson.[34] In the subsequent leadership election, he supported Rish Sunak.[35]

In September 2022, he was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Department for Transport.[citation needed].

Following the publication of the UK Government’s Fraud Strategy in May 2023, Browne was appointed as the first Prime Minister’s Anti-Fraud Champion.[36] He negotiated the Online Fraud Charter, which committed the twelve main global tech firms to implement 39 different measures to stop scams, and which he launched in November 2023.[37]

As part of the November 2023 British cabinet reshuffle, Browne was appointed as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport on November 13, 2023. His brief includes responsibility for aviation, decarbonisation of transport, electric cars, autonomous vehicles, sustainable aviation fuel, drones, e-scooters and space.[38] Browne was responsible for passing the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate which requires car manufacturers to have 80% of their car sales to be zero emission by 2030.[39] He passed the Automated Vehicles Act[40] and was the Minister responsible for the Space (Industries) Indemnity Bill. In April 2024, Browne published the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Mandate, which requires airlines in the UK to use 10% sustainable aviation fuel by 2030.[41]

In March 2023, he was chosen as the Conservative Party Candidate for the new constituency of St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire in the next general election[42] and Chris Carter-Chapman replacing him as the Conservative Party Candidate for South Cambridgeshire.[43] In the general election of July 2024 he finished second to Liberal Democrat candidate, Ian Sollom, and was not elected.[44]

Personal life

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Anthony Browne is married to Paula Higgins, the CEO and founder of HomeOwners Alliance. The couple have a son and daughter. Browne lists his recreations as "walking, running, climbing, eating, drinking, helping caterpillars turn into butterflies".[3]

Publications

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References

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  1. ^ "Parliamentary Under Secretary of State - GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Conservatives select South Cambridgeshire parliamentary candidate | South Cambridgeshire". 21 July 2019. Archived from the original on 21 July 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Browne, Anthony Howe, (born 19 Jan. 1967), MP (C) South Cambridgeshire, since 2019". WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u249852. ISBN 978-0-19-954088-4. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  4. ^ "Anthony Browne appointed to the Regulatory Policy Committee". GOV.UK. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  5. ^ "Anthony Browne joins Coconut board". specialistbanking.co.uk. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  6. ^ "Board of Directors – TheCityUK". www.thecityuk.com. 26 September 2023.
  7. ^ "Govt launches anti-fraud strategy". www.ftadviser.com. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Meet South Cambs MP Anthony Browne: Shot at by the Americans and credited on Oliver Stone film". Cambridge Independent. 28 January 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  9. ^ "Anthony Browne". City A.M. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  10. ^ "Anthony Browne". Conservative Home. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  11. ^ Browne, Anthony; Correspondent, Environment (14 November 1999). "1999 the hottest year of the millennium". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 12 August 2019. {{cite news}}: |last2= has generic name (help)
  12. ^ Vulliamy, Ed; Burke, Anthony Browne Jason; Beaumont, Peter; Bright, Martin; London, Kamal Ahmed in; Boston, Paul Simon in; Islamabad, Luke Harding in; Berlin, Kate Connolly in; Brussels, and Andrew Osborn in (16 September 2001). "When our world changed forever". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  13. ^ Browne, Anthony; York, New (23 September 2001). "The survivors who search for solace". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  14. ^ Browne, Anthony (18 August 2003). "Africa is main source of new HIV cases in Britain". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  15. ^ a b Mason, Rowena (11 November 2019). "Tory candidate faces calls to quit over 'disgusting racism'". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  16. ^ Thomas, David (12 June 2012). "Meet UK banking's new lobbyist". Financial News. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  17. ^ "Morgan Stanley's Browne to head UK bank lobby". Reuters. 12 June 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  18. ^ Jones, Huw (18 April 2017). "UK banking lobby chief to step down in the summer". Reuters. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  19. ^ Smith, Rebecca (22 November 2016). "Bank lobby boss Anthony Browne says it's time to stop grieving over Brexit". CityAM. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  20. ^ "Marcus Agius tenders resignation as BBA chairman". 2 July 2012 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  21. ^ "Libor 'cannot continue unchanged'". BBC News. 10 August 2012.
  22. ^ Browne, Anthony (11 July 2013). "Libor now has a new administrator – but our reforms have gone much further". www.cityam.com. Archived from the original on 4 November 2013. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  23. ^ "Government announces LIBOR administrator tendering committee". GOV.UK. 25 February 2013. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  24. ^ "NYSE Euronext to control Libor rate". BBC News. 9 July 2013.
  25. ^ "Citizens Advice Chief To Head Banking Panel". Sky News.
  26. ^ Boffey, Daniel (22 October 2016). "Brexit: leading banks set to pull out of UK early next year". The Observer – via www.theguardian.com.
  27. ^ "Browne to quit role as UK's top bank lobbyist". Sky News. 18 April 2017.
  28. ^ Earl, Nicholas (14 September 2018). "Russia may allow UK to interview Novichok suspects". www.cityam.com.
  29. ^ "Advisors". Mayor of London. Archived from the original on 14 June 2009. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  30. ^ London Development Agency board members Archived July 28, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  31. ^ Spencer, Alex (24 July 2019). "Parliamentary candidate has backing of new Prime Minister". www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  32. ^ [1] South Cambridgeshire District Council
  33. ^ "I am honoured to have been elected chair of the All Party Parliamentary Environment Group. I look forward to helping drive forwards environmental issues". Twitter. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  34. ^ "x.com". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  35. ^ Senior, Matthew (6 July 2022). "Conservative Cambs MP shares letter of no confidence in Boris Johnson". Cambridgeshire Live. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  36. ^ "Anthony Browne MP". GOV.UK. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  37. ^ "Online Fraud Charter". GOV.UK. 30 November 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  38. ^ "Parliamentary Under Secretary of State - GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  39. ^ "Pathway for zero emission vehicle transition by 2035 becomes law". GOV.UK. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  40. ^ "Self-driving vehicles set to be on roads by 2026 as Automated Vehicles Act becomes law". GOV.UK. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  41. ^ "Aviation fuel plan supports growth of British aviation sector". GOV.UK. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  42. ^ Brackley, Paul (22 March 2023). "South Cambridgeshire Tory MP Anthony Browne to contest new St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire seat at General Election". Cambridge Independent. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  43. ^ Suslak, Anne (13 June 2023). "Chris Carter-Chapman selected as new Conservative candidate for South Cambs". Royston Crow. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  44. ^ "St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  45. ^ "Open Europe" (PDF). archive.openeurope.org.uk. 2005. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
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