The Rt Hon Simon Burns
Biography
Simon Burns was Minister of State for Transport from September 2012 to October 2013. He was elected Conservative MP for Chelmsford in May 2010 and from June 1987 to May 1997. He was also elected Conservative MP for West Chelmsford from May 1997 to May 2010.
Education
He was educated at Christ the King School in Ghana and Stamford School, Lincolnshire before going on to study modern history at Worcester College, Oxford. He also has an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy from Anglia University.
Political career
Highlights include:
- MP for Chelmsford, 1987 to present
- Parliamentary Private Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, 1987 to 1994
- Assistant Government Whip, 1994 to 1995
- Lord Commissioner of Her Majesty’s Treasury 1995 to 1996
- Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health, 1996 to 1997
- Shadow Health Minister, 2001 to 2005
- Opposition Whip, 2005 to 2010
- Minister of State for Health, 2010 to 2012
- Minister of State for Transport September, 2012 to present
Career outside politics
Before becoming an MP, Simon worked for Senator George McGovern in his presidential election bid against Richard Nixon. From 1973 to 1975 he was a committee member, Political Action Officer and Secretary of Oxford University Conservative Association, and a member of the Oxford Union. In 2008 he worked for Hillary Clinton’s New Hampshire primary election campaign.
Personal life
Simon is interested in American Politics, collecting political books and swimming.