Conservative MP Bromsgrove

Date of birth

5 June 1960

Political profile

Julie Kirkbride was first elected as an MP in 1997, but was already very familiar with both the Commons and the parliamentary Conservative Party, having worked as a political correspondent for the Daily Telegraph.

She made an initial impact on political observers as a confident speaker and an effective critic of Labour.

She was placed on the Commons culture media and sport select committee.

She is married to fellow Conservative MP Andrew Mackay and gave birth to a son in 2000.

Since then, she has taken a political interest in perinatal issues and introduced a private members' Bill seeking to give parents the right to choose single vaccinations rather than the combined MMR for children.

She supported first Michael Portillo and then Ken Clarke for the Conservative leadership in 2001, on grounds of electoral pragmatism.

Under Michael Howard's leadership, she was appointed shadow secretary of state for culture, media and sport in November 2003.

But she was returned to the backbenches in September 2004 after refusing a position on the shadow foreign affairs team

Contact

[email protected]

Constituency office 01527 872135

Website

http://www.bromsgrove-conservatives.org.uk