{{Short description|British politician|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{EngvarB|date=July 2016}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Aidan Burley | honorific_suffix = | image = Aidan Burley campaign photograph 2010.jpg | office1 = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] <br /> for [[Cannock Chase (UK Parliament constituency)|Cannock Chase]] | majority1 = | predecessor1 = [[Tony Wright (Cannock Chase MP)|Tony Wright]] | successor1 = [[Amanda Milling]] | term_start1 = 6 May 2010 | term_end1 = 30 March 2015 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1979|01|22}}<ref>{{cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/representatives/profiles/72840.stm |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100531220127/http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/representatives/profiles/72840.stm |url-status= dead |archive-date= 31 May 2010 |title=Aidan Burley |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Democracy Live |access-date=25 July 2010}}</ref> | birth_place = [[Auckland]], [[Auckland Region|Auckland]], New Zealand | birth_name = | death_date = | death_place = | spouse = | party = [[Reform UK]] | other_party = [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] (until 2024) | relations = | children = | alma_mater = [[St John's College, Oxford]] | occupation = {{hlist|Businessman|entrepreneur|politician}} | profession = | signature = | website = | footnotes = | caption = Burley in 2010 }} '''Aidan Burley'''<ref name="Gazette">{{London Gazette |issue=59418 |date=13 May 2010 |page=8745}}</ref> (born 22 January 1979) is a British businessman, entrepreneur and former politician. He was [[Conservative and Unionist Party|Conservative]] Member of Parliament for [[Cannock Chase (UK Parliament constituency)|Cannock Chase]] between [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010]] and [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015]].
==Early life== Burley was born in [[Auckland]], [[New Zealand]] and migrated with his parents to the United Kingdom a few months later.<ref name="Aidan Burley">{{cite news |title=Aidan Burley |url=http://ukpolitics.telegraph.co.uk/Cannock+Chase/Aidan+Burley |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110831204321/http://ukpolitics.telegraph.co.uk/Cannock+Chase/Aidan+Burley |archive-date=31 August 2011 |access-date=9 May 2010 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref>
He was educated at West House School, a private school in [[Birmingham]], [[King Edward's School, Birmingham]], where he stood and won as a Conservative in 1997 in the school's mock election<ref name="about-aidan" /> and [[St John's College, Oxford|St John’s College]], Oxford University.
==Career== Burley was a [[management consultant]] for [[Accenture]] and later Hedra/[[Mouchel]], working on contracts with the [[Home Office]] and the [[National Health Service]].{{citation needed|date=December 2011}}
During this period, he also worked for Conservative MPs [[Philip Hammond]] and [[Nick Herbert]] when they were [[Shadow minister|shadow ministers]], and he was elected a Conservative [[councillor]] in 2006 for the [[2006 Hammersmith and Fulham London Borough Council election#Fulham Broadway|Fulham Broadway ward]] of [[Hammersmith and Fulham London Borough Council]].<ref name="about-aidan">{{cite web |title=About Aidan |url=http://aidanburleymp.org/about-aidan/aidan%27s-story |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107145817/http://www.aidanburleymp.org/about-aidan/aidan%27s-story |archive-date=7 January 2012 |access-date=20 December 2011 |publisher=Aidan Burley }}</ref>
===Parliamentary career=== Burley was elected to the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] as Member of Parliament for [[Cannock Chase (UK Parliament constituency)|Cannock Chase]] in the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election]] with a majority. of 3,195<ref name="Cannock Chase">{{cite news |title=Cannock Chase |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/constituency/a89.stm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100423015153/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/constituency/a89.stm |archive-date=23 April 2010 |access-date=9 May 2010 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> achieving the largest swing of the election from Labour to the Conservatives, 14.01%.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Live |first=Birmingham |date=6 May 2010 |title=General Election 2010: Full Midland results and stats |url=http://www.birminghammail.net/news/local-news/general-election-2010-full-midland-124467 |access-date=4 April 2024 |website=Birmingham Live |language=en}}</ref>
Burley was a member of the [[Home Affairs Select Committee]] from 2010 to 2011. Between 12 January 2011 and 17 December 2011 he was [[Parliamentary Private Secretary]] (PPS) to the [[Secretary of State for Transport]]: firstly [[Philip Hammond]], and later [[Justine Greening]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Aidan Burley |url=http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/aidan-burley/72840 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101228064638/http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/aidan-burley/72840 |archive-date=28 December 2010 |access-date=18 December 2010 }}</ref> He is a supporter of the Free Enterprise Group.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Free Enterprise Group |url=http://www.freeenterprise.org.uk/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204230848/https://www.freeenterprise.org.uk/ |archive-date=4 December 2020 |access-date=6 October 2012}}</ref>
Burley was named by ''[[ConservativeHome]]'' as one of a minority of loyal Conservative backbench MPs not to have voted against the government in any significant rebellions.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Barrett |first1=Matthew |date=14 September 2012 |title=The 24 Conservative MPs who are still on the backbenches and have never rebelled |url=http://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2012/09/the-forty-non-government-payroll-mps-who-havent-rebelled.html |access-date=19 March 2015 |website=Conservative Home}}</ref>
In 2014, Burley, along with six other Conservative Party MPs, voted against the Equal Pay (Transparency) Bill, which would require all companies with more than 250 employees to declare the gap in pay between the average male and average female salaries.<ref name="Independent">{{cite news |author=Saul, Heather |date=16 December 2014 |title=Equal Pay: Seven male Tory MPs vote against bill to make big companies reveal gender pay gap |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/equal-pay-seven-male-tory-mps-vote-against-bill-to-make-big-companies-reveal-gender-pay-gap-9928964.html |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141216170023/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/equal-pay-seven-male-tory-mps-vote-against-bill-to-make-big-companies-reveal-gender-pay-gap-9928964.html |archive-date=16 December 2014 |access-date=1 October 2021 |work=[[The Independent]]}}</ref>
====Controversies==== In December 2011, Burley organised and attended a [[stag party]] in [[Val Thorens]], France, where he was best man<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-01-21 |title=Nazi stag MP Aidan Burley 'caused deep offence', report finds |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-25836506 |access-date=2026-02-13 |website=BBC News |language=en-gb}}</ref> and arranged for the groom to wear a fancy dress [[Nazism|Nazi]] uniform. The groom was later prosecuted by the French police.<ref name="henry">{{cite news |author=Samuel, Henry |date=18 December 2013 |title=Briton faces fine for wearing Nazi uniform at France stag party |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/10525881/Briton-faces-fine-for-wearing-Nazi-uniform-at-France-stag-party.html |access-date=6 July 2020 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref> Following this event, he expressed regret over the incident.<ref name="bbc-20111211">{{cite news |date=11 December 2011 |title=MP Aidan Burley sorry for guests' stag party behaviour |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-16130936 |access-date=11 December 2011 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Subsequently, Prime Minister David Cameron removed him from his parliamentary role due to additional allegations.<ref name="aidwithdave">{{cite news |date=17 December 2011 |title=Conservative MP Aidan Burley sacked over Nazi-themed stag party |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/8963918/Conservative-MP-Aidan-Burley-sacked-over-Nazi-themed-stag-party.html |access-date=26 January 2014 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=22 December 2011 |title=Aidan Burley Nazi stag photos: French police inquiry |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-16299035 |access-date=26 August 2012 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> An internal review by the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] concluded that, although Burley's actions were offensive, they did not demonstrate racism or [[Antisemitism|anti-Semitism]].<ref name="Offence">{{cite news |date=22 January 2014 |title=Nazi stag MP Aidan Burley 'caused deep offence', report finds |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-25836506 |access-date=22 January 2014 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> But in February 2014, Burley announced he would not seek [[2015 United Kingdom general election|reelection in 2015]].<ref>{{cite news |date=5 February 2014 |title=Nazi stag-do Tory MP Aidan Burley to step down |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-26059862 |access-date=5 February 2014 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref>
During the [[2012 Summer Olympics|2012 London Olympics]] [[2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony|opening ceremony]], Burley criticized the event on Twitter for being overly left-leaning,<ref>{{cite news |author=Manning, Lucy |date=28 July 2012 |title=Tory MP Aidan Burley not backing down on 'leftie' ceremony accusation |url=http://www.itv.com/news/2012-07-28/tory-mp-insists-leftie-ceremony-tweet-misunderstood/ |access-date=26 August 2012 |work=[[ITV News]]}}</ref> by saying it was “multicultural crap”<ref>{{Cite news |last=Watt |first=Nicholas |date=2012-07-27 |title=Olympics opening ceremony was 'multicultural crap', Tory MP tweets |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/jul/28/olympics-opening-ceremony-multicultural-crap-tory-mp |access-date=2026-02-13 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> later clarifying his comments were about its presentation.<ref>{{cite news |date=27 July 2012 |title=MP attacks 'leftie Ceremony' tweets |url=http://www.itv.com/news/story/2012-07-27/twitter-anger-after-conservative-mp-aidan-burley-tweets-about-most-leftie-opening-ceremony/ |access-date=1 October 2021 |work=[[ITV News]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=28 July 2012 |title=Aidan Burley says 'leftie multi-cultural' tweet misunderstood |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19025518 |access-date=28 July 2012 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> His remarks were criticized, including by fellow Conservative MP [[Gavin Barwell]], who disapproved of his views.<ref>{{Cite news |title=London 2012: Boris Johnson dismisses 'leftie' complaint |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19029510 |access-date=1 October 2021 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=David Cameron attacks 'idiotic' criticism from Aidan Burley MP |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19046448 |access-date=30 July 2012 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Burley also expressed concerns about the ceremony's overtly political content, writing "Bring back Shakespeare, Red Arrows and the Stones" on Twitter. ====Political funding==== It was reported in 2014 that the Cannock Chase [[Conservative Association]] had received £28,927 since 2010, and that Burley had received corporate donations from [[Japan Tobacco International]] and JCB Research; he had also received a donation from [[Conservative Friends of Israel]]. He also received £3,600 in remunerations from Clever Together LLP for work he did in 2012.<ref name="Money">{{cite web |title=Donations made by Clever Together LLP to Aidan Burley |url=http://www.searchthemoney.com/profile/3/4461 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107173801/http://www.searchthemoney.com/profile/3/4461 |archive-date=7 January 2014 |access-date=22 January 2014 |work=Aidan Burley |publisher=Search The Money Ltd }}</ref>
=== Business === Burley co-founded online e-commerce subscription business Friction Free Shaving, known as the woman’s analogue to [[Dollar Shave Club]], which he set up in 2015 after leaving Parliament.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Friction Free Shaving start-up secures £1.25m and partnership with Northern & Shell |url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/friction-free-shaving-start-up-secures-125m-partnership-northern-shell/1429602?utm_source=website&utm_medium=social |access-date=4 April 2024 |website=www.campaignlive.co.uk |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hurst |first=Samantha |date=16 April 2016 |title=Friction Free Shaving Crew on Seedrs Success: We Cannot Thank Everyone Who Helps Us Enough |url=https://www.crowdfundinsider.com/2016/04/84449-friction-free-shaving-crew-on-seedrs-success-we-cannot-thank-everyone-who-helps-us-enough/ |website=Crowdfund Insider}}</ref> As CEO Burley initiated and led funding rounds with £1.25m being invested from [[Northern & Shell]]. Burley exited the business via a management buy out in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Beech |first=Adam |date=7 November 2023 |title=MBO at female shaving product subscription firm |url=https://www.insidermedia.com/news/midlands/mbo-at-female-shaving-product-subscription-firm |website=Insider Media}}</ref>
In 2021 Burley joined WorldPR, a global Public Relations consultancy, where he worked as Chief of Staff to the Chairman.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.aidanburleymp.org/ Aidan Burley MP] ''official website'' *[https://web.archive.org/web/20100518091702/http://www.conservatives.com/People/Members_of_Parliament/Burley_Aidan.aspx Aidan Burley MP] Conservative Party profile *[https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cmallfiles/mps/commons_hansard_5528_home.html Commons Hansard contributions 2010–11] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20110716062734/http://yourdemocracy.newstatesman.com/profile/aidan-burley Aidan Burley profile] at [[New Statesman]] Your democracy *{{UK MP links | parliament = mr-aidan-burley/3937 | hansardcurr = 5528 | guardian = 11999/aidan-burley | publicwhip = Aidan_Burley | theywork = aidan_burley | record = Aidan-Burley/Cannock-Chase/794 | bbc = 72840.stm | journalisted = }} *[https://www.youtube.com/user/aidanburley Official channel] at YouTube
{{s-start}} {{s-par|uk}} {{s-bef|before=[[Tony Wright (Cannock Chase MP)|Tony Wright]]}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament for [[Cannock Chase (UK Parliament constituency)|Cannock Chase]]|years=[[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010]]–[[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015]]}} {{s-aft|after=[[Amanda Milling]]}} {{s-end}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Burley, Aidan}} [[Category:1979 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Accenture people]] [[Category:Alumni of St John's College, Oxford]] [[Category:Conservative Party (UK) councillors]] [[Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies]] [[Category:Councillors in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham]] [[Category:New Zealand emigrants to the United Kingdom]] [[Category:People educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham]] [[Category:Politicians from Auckland]] [[Category:UK MPs 2010–2015]] [[Category:Reform UK politicians]]