{{short description|British politician (born 1969)}} {{Other people|David Burrows}} {{Use British English|date=January 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = David Burrowes | honorific_suffix = | image = David Burrowes MP (cropped).jpg | caption = Burrowes in 2013 | office = Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | prime_minister = David Cameron | predecessor = Mark Simmonds | successor = Robin Walker | term_start = 11 September 2012 | term_end = 14 July 2014 | 1blankname = Sec. of State | 1namedata = Owen Paterson | office2 = Member of Parliament <br /> for Enfield Southgate | parliament2 = | majority2 = | predecessor2 = Stephen Twigg | successor2 = Bambos Charalambous | term_start2 = 5 May 2005 | term_end2 = 3 May 2017 | birth_name = David John Barrington Burrowes | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1969|6|12}} | birth_place = Cockfosters, London, England | spouse = Janet Coekin | party = Conservative | relations = | children = 6 | alma_mater = University of Exeter | occupation = | profession = Solicitor | signature = | website = {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20050927065351/http://www.davidburrowes.com/ Official website]}}<br />[http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/mr-david-burrowes/1518 parliament..david-burrowes] | footnotes = }} '''David John Barrington Burrowes''' (born 12 June 1969) is a British politician. He was the Conservative Member of Parliament for Enfield Southgate from 2005 to 2017, and is the co-founder of the Conservative Christian Fellowship. He has been the Chairman of the Equity Release Council since 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.equityreleasecouncil.com/ |title=Home | Equity Release Council |access-date=7 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200406161731/https://www.equityreleasecouncil.com/ |archive-date=6 April 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Early life== Burrowes was born in Cockfosters and was educated at Highgate School and the University of Exeter.<ref name=con>{{cite web|url=http://www.conservatives.com/People/Members_of_Parliament/Burrowes_David.aspx|title=David Burrowes:Member of Parliament for Enfield Southgate|website=Conservatives.com|access-date=16 November 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121127211917/http://www.conservatives.com/People/Members_of_Parliament/Burrowes_David.aspx|archive-date=27 November 2012}}</ref> Whilst at Exeter, in 1990, Burrowes and Tim Montgomerie founded the Conservative Christian Fellowship. Before entering parliament he worked for Enfield solicitors, Shepherd Harris and Co, specialising in criminal law and was an advocate in police stations and courts in Enfield, Haringey and Hertfordshire.<ref name=con/> He was an Enfield Borough Council councillor for 12 years.<ref name=con/>
==Parliamentary career== Burrowes contested the safe Labour seat of Edmonton at the 2001 general election achieving a 1.0 swing away from sitting MP Andy Love who won by a majority of 9,772. He was elected MP for Enfield Southgate in May 2005, defeating Minister of State for Education and Skills Stephen Twigg with a majority of 1,747 votes and a swing of 8.7%. He made his maiden speech on 20 June 2005.<ref name=maiden>{{cite news|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debate/?id=2005-06-20a.575.0|title=Orders of the Day – Violent Crime Reduction Bill|publisher=Theyworkforyou.com|access-date=20 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407092020/http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debate/?id=2005-06-20a.575.0|archive-date=7 April 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>
Labour regained the seat in the 2017 general election on a substantial 9.7% swing.
===Select committees and interest groups 2005–2010=== Burrowes has been a member of several Select Committees including: Public Administration Select Committee 2005–10, Armed Forces Bill 2005–06, Joint Committee on the Draft Legal Services Bill 2006, Joint Committee on the Draft Human Tissue and Embryos Bill 2007.<ref name=parlbio>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/david-burrowes/31648|title=David Burrowes|publisher=Parliament.co.uk|access-date=16 November 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018124653/http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/david-burrowes/31648|archive-date=18 October 2012}}</ref> Based on the questions he asks, his main political topics of interest are Justice, Health, Home Department, Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, International Development,<ref name=twfymain/> though he includes family policy, drugs and alcohol policy and voluntary sector, umbilical cord blood banking, treatment and research in his Parliament biography.<ref name=parlbio/>
Burrowes was a member of several All Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) including: Democracy in Burma, British-Cyprus All-Party Parliamentary Group (Chair), Asthma, Child and Youth Crime Group (Vice-Chair), Childcare, Christians in Parliament, Complex Needs and Dual Diagnosis (Chair), Justice for Equitable Life Policy Holders, Fatherhood, Holy See, Human Trafficking, Interest Rate Swap Mis-selling, Legal Aid, Poverty, Prison Health, Pro-Life Group, Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia, Stem Cell Transplantation (Vice-Chair), Sustainable Relationships (Secretary), Voice UK and Youth Affairs.<ref name=parlbio/> He was chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Protection of Cultural Heritage.<ref name="parliament1">{{cite web|url=https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/170329/cultural-heritage.htm|publisher=Parliament of the United Kingdom|title=Register Of All-Party Parliamentary Groups [as at 29 March 2017]|access-date=19 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170420143603/https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/170329/cultural-heritage.htm|archive-date=20 April 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
In 2005-6, he contributed to debates on violent crime, fatherhood, criminal legal aid, council tax revaluation, and equalities. In 2007-8, he contributed to debates on Chase Farm Hospital, drugs and alcohol addiction, Cyprus, criminal justice, prisons, hospital-acquired infections (''Clostridioides difficile''), embryo research, Burma, council tax, hit and run fatalities, and fatherhood. In July 2007, he was appointed to the frontbench as Shadow Justice Minister.<ref name=twfymain>{{cite web|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/david_burrowes/enfield%2C_southgate|title=David Burrowes: Conservative MP for Enfield, Southgate|website=TheyWorkForYou.com|access-date=16 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121203143009/http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/david_burrowes/enfield%2C_southgate|archive-date=3 December 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>
===Shadow Justice Minister=== During the Conservative Party's social justice policy review headed by Iain Duncan Smith, Burrowes chaired the committee looking into addiction.<ref name=break>{{cite news|url=http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/client/downloads/CSJ%20FINAL%20(2).pdf|title=Breakdown Britain: Interim report on the state of the nation|work=Social Justice Policy Group|date=December 2006|access-date=12 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022140920/http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/client/downloads/CSJ%20FINAL%20(2).pdf|archive-date=22 October 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> Their 111-page report which dealt with "The nature and extend of social breakdown and poverty today" and "The causes of poverty" was designed to provide policy for an incoming government to tackle "Britain's most acute social problems".<ref name=break/>
===Post 2010 election=== He was re-elected in 2010 with a majority of 7626, a swing of 7.2%. He was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Francis Maude MP, Minister to the Cabinet Office and Oliver Letwin, Minister responsible for Government Policy.<ref name=parlbio/> In September 2010, Burrowes was reappointed as PPS to Letwin, providing support to Letwin's policy role across government and in particular about drugs and alcohol treatment reform and future policy development.
In September 2012, Burrowes was made Parliamentary Private Secretary to Owen Paterson,<ref name=parlbio/> Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. He retained his advisory role with Oliver Letwin on the issue of drug and alcohol policy.
In 2013, he called for the Attorney General to review the sentence passed on former Cabinet Minister Chris Huhne which he regarded as too lenient.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9949810/Chris-Huhne-Disgraced-ex-minister-moved-to-open-jail.html|title=Chris Huhne: Disgraced ex-minister moved to open jail|work=The Daily Telegraph|first=David |last=Barrett|date=23 March 2013|access-date=1 April 2013|location=London|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130326135524/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9949810/Chris-Huhne-Disgraced-ex-minister-moved-to-open-jail.html|archive-date=26 March 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>
He was a prominent opponent of the Government's proposals to introduce same-sex marriage into England and Wales, and helped establish the Coalition for Marriage against its adoption.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/prominent-tory-disowns-religious-right-and-supports-gay-marriage-6579531.html|title = Prominent Tory disowns 'religious right' and supports gay marriage| website=Independent.co.uk |date = 6 February 2012|access-date = 20 September 2017|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170330013253/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/prominent-tory-disowns-religious-right-and-supports-gay-marriage-6579531.html|archive-date = 30 March 2017|url-status = live}}</ref> He is reported as saying that it would risk leading to an "adulterer's charter", but his call for a referendum to be held on the issue was ignored.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-22526936|title=Gay marriage referendum call from David Burrowes MP|date=14 May 2013|publisher=BBC|access-date=20 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200214173655/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-22526936/gay-marriage-referendum-call-from-david-burrowes-mp|archive-date=14 February 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/06/21/tory-mp-david-burrowes-the-equal-marriage-bill-will-lead-to-an-adulterers-charter/|title=Tory MP David Burrowes: The equal marriage bill will lead to an 'adulterer's charter'|access-date=20 August 2013|newspaper=Pink News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130824200120/http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/06/21/tory-mp-david-burrowes-the-equal-marriage-bill-will-lead-to-an-adulterers-charter/|archive-date=24 August 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>
At the general election in 2015, Burrowes was elected for a third term and retained the same share of the vote won in 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://davidburrowes.com/about |title=About David | David Burrowes MP – Member of Parliament for Enfield, Southgate |access-date=8 January 2017 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170109184519/http://davidburrowes.com/about |archive-date=9 January 2017 }}</ref> He was Co-Chair of the Complex Needs and Dual Diagnosis APPG (All-Party Parliamentary Group), Protection of Cultural Heritage APPG, and Stem Cell Transplantation. He was also an officer of the following APPGs – Cyprus, Human Trafficking, Religious Education, Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia, Refugees, and Ending Homelessness. He is Co-Chair of the Complex Needs and Dual Diagnosis APPG, Protection of Cultural Heritage APPG, and Stem Cell Transplantation.
In 2015, Burrowes was elected to the Home Affairs Select Committee and re-elected as Executive Member of the Conservative MPs' backbench 1922 Committee and Chairman of its Justice Committee. He spoke on several issues which led to changes in Government policy and legislation: he called for more Syrian refugees to be accepted in the UK; he successfully led the cross party opposition to assisted suicide and the relaxation of Sunday Trading laws, and he supported the blanket ban on the supply of so-called 'legal highs'.
Burrowes supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum; his constituency voted Remain by 62.1%.<ref name="thespectatorwhichtorympsbackbrexit">{{cite news|url=http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/02/which-tory-mps-back-brexit-who-doesnt-and-who-is-still-on-the-fence/|title=Which Tory MPs back Brexit, who doesn't and who is still on the fence?|last1=Goodenough|first1=Tom|date=16 February 2016|work=The Spectator|access-date=11 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170203120144/http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/02/which-tory-mps-back-brexit-who-doesnt-and-who-is-still-on-the-fence/|archive-date=3 February 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/parliament-and-elections/elections-elections/brexit-votes-by-constituency/|title=Brexit: Votes by Constituency|date=6 February 2017|access-date=29 May 2018|publisher=House of Commons Library|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710163523/https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/parliament-and-elections/elections-elections/brexit-votes-by-constituency/|archive-date=10 July 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
Burrowes's registered members' interests are listed on Theyworkforyou.com, and local donations on Searchthemoney.com. Donors include Christian Action Research and Education.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.duedil.com/|title=DueDil|access-date=28 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130529205653/https://www.duedil.com/|archive-date=29 May 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>
===Constituency issues=== Burrowes became a "major focal point of the high profile campaign to stop computer hacker Gary McKinnon," a constituent, being extradited to the United States.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/9611591/Gary-McKinnon-extradition-David-Burrowes-MP-who-wears-conscience-on-his-sleeve.html|title=Gary McKinnon extradition: David Burrowes, MP who wears conscience on his sleeve|work=The Daily Telegraph|first=Christopher |last=Hope|date=16 October 2012|access-date=12 November 2012|location=London|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025060046/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/9611591/Gary-McKinnon-extradition-David-Burrowes-MP-who-wears-conscience-on-his-sleeve.html|archive-date=25 October 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> The Home Secretary decided to stop the extradition order which Burrowes called "a victory for common sense and compassion".<ref name=GMbeeb>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-19961793|title=Gary McKinnon decision: 'A victory for compassion'|date=16 October 2012|access-date=16 November 2012|work=BBC News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121121062328/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19961793|archive-date=21 November 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>
In February 2015, Burrowes was embarrassed to find himself canvassing for the 2015 United Kingdom general election on doorsteps in the home street of neighbouring MP Andrew Love after he and his campaign team accidentally strayed into the wrong constituency.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Murphy|first1=Joe|title=Tory MP David Burrowes admits 'wrong turn' after canvassing in wrong constituency|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/tory-mp-david-burrowes-admits-wrong-turn-after-canvassing-in-wrong-constituency-10055789.html|access-date=20 March 2015|work=London Evening Standard|date=19 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403225452/http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/tory-mp-david-burrowes-admits-wrong-turn-after-canvassing-in-wrong-constituency-10055789.html|archive-date=3 April 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>
Burrowes consistently opposed the Enfield "Mini Holland" scheme, which was launched by the Council to promote cycling and safer streets in Enfield, but has given rise to many complaints by residents.<ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/davehillblog/2017/jan/17/the-long-war-of-mini-holland-in-enfield|title = The long war of mini-Holland in Enfield|newspaper = The Guardian|date = 17 January 2017|last1 = Hill|first1 = Dave|access-date = 5 August 2018|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180805114226/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/davehillblog/2017/jan/17/the-long-war-of-mini-holland-in-enfield|archive-date = 5 August 2018|url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/furious-row-in-north-london-election-race-over-future-of-42m-cycle-enfield-scheme-a3542146.html|title = Furious row in north London election race over £42m cycle path scheme|date = 18 May 2017|access-date = 5 August 2018|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180805114240/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/furious-row-in-north-london-election-race-over-future-of-42m-cycle-enfield-scheme-a3542146.html|archive-date = 5 August 2018|url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.citymetric.com/transport/has-london-s-outer-borough-cycling-scheme-worked-mini-holland-four-years-3714 | title=Has London's outer borough cycling scheme worked? Mini Holland, four years on | CityMetric | access-date=5 August 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180805142802/https://www.citymetric.com/transport/has-london-s-outer-borough-cycling-scheme-worked-mini-holland-four-years-3714 | archive-date=5 August 2018 | url-status=live }}</ref>
===2017 Election=== Burrowes lost his seat in the 2017 general election to Labour's Bambos Charalambous with a 9.7% swing.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000692 |title=Enfield Southgate Parliamentary constituency |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306060854/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000692 |archivedate=6 March 2019 |work=BBC News |accessdate= 5 March 2019}}</ref>
===2019 Election=== Burrowes was reselected as prospective Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Enfield Southgate in December 2018.<ref>[https://www.southgateconservatives.uk/news/david-burrowes-selected-parliamentary-candidate-enfield-southgate David Burrowes selected as Parliamentary Candidate for Enfield Southgate] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306042842/https://www.southgateconservatives.uk/news/david-burrowes-selected-parliamentary-candidate-enfield-southgate |date=6 March 2019 }}, ''Enfield Southgate Conservative Association website'' 10 December 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2019]</ref> Labour held the seat with a slightly increased majority on election night.<ref>{{cite news |title=Enfield Southgate Parliamentary constituency |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000692 |website=BBC News |publisher=BBC |access-date=14 June 2020}}</ref>
==Post-Parliamentary career== In May 2021 Burrowes co-authored an essay entitled "Family Matters – the Case for Strengthening Families" with Fiona Bruce the then-MP for Congleton, for inclusion in ''Common Sense: Conservative Thinking for a Post-Liberal Age'' published by the Common Sense Group, an informal group of Conservative MPs.<ref>Bruce, Fiona and Burrowes, David (May 2021). Family Matters – the Case for Strengthening Families in {{cite book|editor-last=Hayes |editor-first=John| editor-link=John Hayes (British politician) |title= Common Sense: Conservative Thinking for a Post-Liberal Age |publisher=Common Sense Group}}</ref>
==Personal life== A keen cricketer and footballer, Burrowes married Janet Coekin in January 1996 in Havering. They have six children, twins Barnaby and Harriet, Dougal, Dorothy, Noah, and Toby.<ref name=con/> He is a supporter of Arsenal F.C.<ref name=con/>
Burrowes serves as an LEA Governor at Broomfield School and St Paul's CE Primary School in Enfield. He is also a trustee and active participant in his local church.<ref name=DBbiog>{{cite news|url=http://www.davidburrowes.com/biog|title=About David| work = Personal website|access-date=16 November 2012|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019204130/http://davidburrowes.com/biog|archive-date=19 October 2012}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|2}}
==External links== * {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20050927065351/http://www.davidburrowes.com/ David Burrowes MP]}} official site * [https://web.archive.org/web/20050924073843/http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=people.person.page&personID=81420 David Burrowes MP] biography at the site of the Conservative Party * [http://www.enfield-southgate.com Enfield Southgate Conservatives] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324140953/http://www.enfield-southgate.com/ |date=24 March 2012 }} * [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/mpdb/html/238.stm BBC Politics page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071216203916/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/mpdb/html/238.stm |date=16 December 2007 }} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20091018074707/http://www.enfieldsouthgatewatch.co.uk/ Enfield Southgate Watch] – Monitoring Website *{{UK MP links | parliament = mr-david-burrowes/1518 | hansardcurr = 4754 | guardian = 5897/david-burrowes | publicwhip = David_Burrowes | theywork = david_burrowes}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|uk}} {{s-bef|before=Stephen Twigg}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament for Enfield Southgate|years=2005–2017}} {{s-aft|after=Bambos Charalambous}} {{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Burrowes, David}} Category:1969 births Category:Living people Category:UK MPs 2005–2010 Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Category:Councillors in the London Borough of Enfield Category:People educated at Highgate School Category:Alumni of the University of Exeter Category:UK MPs 2010–2015 Category:UK MPs 2015–2017 Category:People from Southgate, London Category:British Eurosceptics