{{short description|English writer, political commentator and consultant}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}} thumb|200px|{{center|Alex Deane in 2019}} '''Alexander John Cameron Deane''' (born 24 June 1979)<ref>{{Cite web|title=36th Birthday 2015 |url= https://twitter.com/ajcdeane/status/613724600866873344 |access-date=18 July 2020 |website=Twitter}}</ref> is a British writer, political commentator and consultant.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rosindell's 'integration' idea dismissed as Brexit 'publicity stunt' |url= http://chronicle.gi/2016/04/rosindells-integration-idea-dismissed-as-brexit-publicity-stunt/ |website=Gibraltar Chronicle |date=11 April 2016 |first=Eyleen |last= Shiel |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 April 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160415162728/http://chronicle.gi/2016/04/rosindells-integration-idea-dismissed-as-brexit-publicity-stunt/ }}</ref> He is a regular commentator on Sky News and GB News, and formerly on BBC ''Dateline London''.<ref name="fticonsulting">{{cite web |title=Alex Deane |url= http://www.fticonsulting.com/our-people/alex-deane |website=FTI Consulting |access-date=26 June 2016}}</ref>
==Education== The son of Paul Deane and Jacqueline ''née'' Osborne, he was educated at County Upper School,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eadt.co.uk/ea-life/alex_blames_the_middle_classes_1_68379|title=Alex blames the middle classes|work=East Anglian Daily Times|date=14 June 2005|access-date=18 March 2017}}</ref> a state comprehensive school in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, before going to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he read English Literature, graduating in 2000. He then studied at Griffith University in Australia, as a Rotary Scholar and graduated with an MA in international relations in 2002.<ref>{{cite web|title=Alexander Deane|url=http://conservativehome.blogs.com/centreright/alexander-deane.html|website=ConservativeHome|access-date=26 June 2016}}</ref>
During his time training to be a barrister at Middle Temple he won the 2004 World Universities Debating Championship.
==Career== Deane was called to the bar at Middle Temple in 2005.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Middle Templar|url=http://www.middletemple.org.uk/sites/default/files/documents/members/mt-spring-2011-issue-50.pdf|website=Middle Temple|access-date=27 June 2016}}</ref> He served as Chief of Staff to David Cameron and Tim Collins during their respective periods as Shadow Secretary of State for Education.<ref name="fticonsulting"/> He served as the founding director of Big Brother Watch from 2009 to 2011.<ref>{{Cite web|date=24 January 2016|title=City of London - Member details - Alexander John Cameron Deane, Deputy|url=https://democracy.cityoflondon.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=154|access-date=18 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160124214349/https://democracy.cityoflondon.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=154|archive-date=24 January 2016}}</ref>
In 2011 Deane was elected as Commoner (the City equivalent of a Councillor) to the Court of Common Council<ref>{{Cite web|title=Alex Deane elected as Common Councilman in the City of London|url=https://conservativehome.blogs.com/gazette/2011/05/alex-deane-elected-as-common-councilman-in-the-city-of-london.html|access-date=18 July 2020|website=Gazette}}</ref> for the ward of Farringdon Without and was reelected at the 2013 City of London Corporation election, serving until the 2017 City of London Corporation election. A liveryman of the Curriers' Company, he is a current member of The Freedom Association's management committee.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Council & Management Committee|url=https://www.tfa.net/council_management_committee|access-date=18 July 2020|website=The Freedom Association}}</ref> In the 2018 Southwark London Borough Council election, he was a candidate in North Walworth ward.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-04-10 |title=Full list of candidates standing for local election published |url=https://southwarknews.co.uk/news/politics/full-list-candidates-standing-local-election-published/ |access-date=2026-01-11 |website=Southwark News |language=en-GB}}</ref>
His main role is Senior Managing Director, Head of UK Public Affairs for FTI Consulting having joined the company in 2014. He often appears in the media as a political commentator, is a Sky News regular and a BBC Dateline London panelist.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Alex Deane {{!}} Senior Managing Director {{!}} FTI Consulting|url=https://www.fticonsulting-emea.com/our-people/alex-deane|access-date=18 July 2020|website=www.fticonsulting-emea.com}}</ref>
He was the executive director of the eurosceptic Grassroots Out campaign<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 March 2021 |title=Brexiters seek to raise £1m to set up 'neutral' Museum of Brexit |url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/mar/28/museum-of-brexit-campaigners-fundraising-charitable-status |access-date=14 March 2022 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref>
Commentating on allegations that Boris Johnson groped Charlotte Edwardes, Deane quoted Alan Clark who said: "How do I know my advances are unwanted until I've made them?".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/toby-young-says-people-complained-20343761|title=Toby Young says people 'complained if Boris didn't put his hand on their knee'|work=Daily Mirror}}</ref>
In 2018, he was shortlisted to be prospective Parliamentary candidate for the Ipswich seat, but lost to Tom Hunt.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Selection news: Shortlists revealed for Ipswich, and Warwick & Leamington |url=https://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2018/09/selection-news-shortlists-revealed-for-ipswich-and-warwick-leamington.html|access-date=4 April 2021|website=Conservative Home |date=17 September 2018 }}</ref>
Deane was the defeated Conservative parliamentary candidate for Finchley and Golders Green in the 2024 general election.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harpin |first=Lee |title= Finchley and Golders Green Conservatives select Alex Deane as election candidate |url= https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/finchley-and-golders-green-conservatives-select-alex-deane-as-election-candidate/ |date=19 March 2024 |access-date=21 March 2024 |website=Jewish News |location= London }}</ref>
== Books ==
Deane is the author of ''Lessons From History'',<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lessons from History |url=https://www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/lessons-from-history |access-date=28 March 2022 |website=www.bitebackpublishing.com |language=en}}</ref> and ''More Lessons from History Uncovering the colourful characters of the past''.<ref>{{cite web | title=More Lessons from History | url=https://www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/more-lessons-from-history }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} * [https://democracy.cityoflondon.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=154 Alexander John Cameron Deane, Deputy] City of London Council * [https://twitter.com/ajcdeane Alex Deane] Twitter
{{DEFAULTSORT:Deane, Alex}} Category:1979 births Category:Living people Category:People from Bury St Edmunds Category:Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge Category:Griffith University alumni Category:Members of the Middle Temple Category:Conservative Party (UK) parliamentary candidates Category:Conservative Party (UK) officials