Anne Main
{{Short description|British politician (born 1957)}}
{{EngvarB|date=July 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Anne Main
| honorific-suffix = CBE
| image = Anne Main (cropped).jpg
| caption = Main in 2010
| office = Member of Parliament
for St Albans
| parliament =
| term_start = 5 May 2005
| term_end = 6 November 2019
| predecessor = Kerry Pollard
| successor = Daisy Cooper
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1957|05|17}}
| birth_place = Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = British
| spouse = Stephen Tonks (m. 1978)
Andrew Main (m. 1995)
| party = Conservative
| relations =
| children = 4
| residence =
| alma_mater = Swansea University
University of Sheffield
| occupation =
| profession =
| religion =
| signature =
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
Anne Margaret Main {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}} (born 17 May 1957) is a Conservative Party politician who formerly served as the Member of Parliament for St Albans in Hertfordshire. She was elected at the general election of 2005, and was re-elected in 2010, 2015 and 2017. She lost her seat to Daisy Cooper, a Liberal Democrat, at the 2019 general election.
Early life
Main was born in Cardiff, Wales in 1957. She was state-educated at the Bishop of Llandaff Church in Wales High School in Rookwood Close in Llandaff, Cardiff. She read English at Swansea University obtaining a BA Hons, where she met her first husband, Stephen. She then obtained a PGCE from the University of Sheffield. She moved to the London area, and taught English and drama at an inner London comprehensive school.
Political career
Main's political career began in 1999, when she was elected as a town councillor in Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire.[http://www.stalbansreview.co.uk/news/features/4890908.St_Albans_MP_Anne_Main_s_full_interview_with_John_Lyon/ St Albans & Harpenden Review – St Albans MP Anne Main's full interview with John Lyon, November 2009], in which she states that "My family are based in our main home [in Beaconsfield] and I like to get home and see my husband in the evening." She served as councillor for Beaconsfield South Ward on South Bucks District Council from 2001 to 2005.
At the 2005 general election, she was elected as the Member of Parliament for St Albans, defeating the sitting Labour MP Kerry Pollard, achieving a 6.6% swing.
In November 2005, Main endorsed David Cameron in the Conservative Party leadership election, after originally supporting his rival David Davis.{{cite web |url=https://conservativehome.blogs.com/toryleadership/2005/11/anne_main_defec.html |title=Anne Main defects to Camp Cameron |website=toryleadership |access-date=2019-12-13}}
At the general election of 2010 she retained her seat with an increased majority, despite a 3.75% swing to the Liberal Democrats.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/constituency/e35.stm |title=Election 2010 - Constituency - St Albans |publisher=BBC News}} She then increased her majority in 2015 to 12,732 votes, picking up some votes from the Liberal Democrats as part of the collapse of that party's support nationwide.{{cite web |url=http://www.stalbans.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/elections/electionresults/generalelections/2015_Parliamentary_Election_Results.aspx |title=St Albans City & District Council: Election Results 2015 |website=www.stalbans.gov.uk}}
At the snap general election of 2017, Main received 43% of the vote, Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat) received 32%, Kerry Pollard (Labour) received 23% and Jack Easton (Green Party) received 2%. UKIP declined to stand a candidate in recognition of Main's eurosceptic views.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/politics/constituencies/E14000960 |title=St Albans parliamentary constituency - Election 2017 |work=BBC News |access-date=2 December 2018}} She became Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Bangladesh, and served on a number of Select Committees;{{cite web |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/register/bangladesh.htm|title=House of Commons - Register Of All-Party Groups as at 30 July 2015: Bangladesh |website=publications.parliament.uk}} in addition she became a member of the Panel of Chairs. At the 2016 EU Referendum, Main campaigned for a "Leave" vote.{{cite news |url=http://www.hertsad.co.uk/news/eu_referendum_st_albans_mp_anne_main_backing_britain_1_4571677 |title=EU Referendum: St Albans MP Anne Main "backing Britain" |first=Debbie |last=White |date=10 June 2016|work=Herts Advertiser}}
Main largely voted in accordance with her party, but opposed high-speed rail and same-sex marriage in the United Kingdom.{{cite web |url=https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2013/02/the-tories-who-voted-against-gay-marriage-full-list |title=MPs who voted against gay marriage: full list - Coffee House |date=5 February 2013 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/11798/anne_main/st_albans |title=They Work For You |publisher=GOV.UK |access-date=3 March 2018}}{{primary inline|date=February 2024}}
File:St Albans cathedral - PS07.JPG
Against the national swing, she lost her seat to the Liberal Democrat candidate Daisy Cooper at the 2019 general election.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/politics/constituencies/E14000960|title=St Albans parliamentary constituency - Election 2019|work=BBC News}}
Main was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2020 Birthday Honours for public and parliamentary service.{{London Gazette|issue=63135|supp=y|page=B10|date=10 October 2020}}
Career as a novelist
Main commenced a career as a novelist after the end of her political career, and by May 2025 had published twelve novels about life in South Wales, UK set around the middle of the twentieth century.{{Cite web|title=Anne Main|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anne-Main/e/B0951R398S/ref=sxts_entity_h_bsx_s_def_r00_t_aufl?pd_rd_w=hUvL8&pf_rd_p=0bf1fd50-d464-4e81-b1e8-4f79c1fadc21&pf_rd_r=NSDGHRSYXG4KGEHEXMFG&pd_rd_r=2d79bb03-129e-49fd-a228-8495a72739af&pd_rd_wg=RHVcF&qid=1637702124&cv_ct_cx=anne+main|access-date=2021-11-23|website=www.amazon.co.uk|language=en-gb}}
Expenses
Main was investigated by The Daily Telegraph in May 2009 for claiming a second home allowance and a council tax discount for an apartment for a constituency home, which was also lived in full-time and rent-free by her daughter.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5364092/MPs-expenses-Anne-Main-and-a-rent-free-flat-for-her-daughter-25-miles-from-home.html |title=MPs' expenses: Anne Main and a rent-free flat for her daughter 25 miles from home |date=22 May 2009 |work=The Daily Telegraph}} On 26 June 2009, it was reported that she would face a Parliamentary inquiry into these allegations under John Lyon, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, following a formal complaint thought to be from a constituent.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5638100/MPs-expenses-Anne-Main-facing-inquiry.html |title=MPs' expenses: Anne Main facing inquiry |first=Rosa |last=Prince |date=26 June 2009 |work=The Daily Telegraph}}
In February 2010, Lyon concluded that the public should not have been expected to meet living costs for Main's daughter, and Main was ordered to repay £7,100 (being £2,100 wrongly claimed for food, along with an additional £5,000 to reflect the daughter's use of the flat), and to provide a written apology to the committee.{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tory-mp-anne-main-ordered-to-repay-pound7100-after-flat-probe-1889569.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tory-mp-anne-main-ordered-to-repay-pound7100-after-flat-probe-1889569.html |archive-date=7 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Tory MP Anne Main ordered to repay £7,100 after flat probe |date=4 February 2010 |work=The Independent}}{{cbignore}}{{cite news |url=http://www.stalbansreview.co.uk/news/features/4891782.St_Albans_MP_Anne_Main_s_expenses_payback__the_full_story/ |title=St Albans MP Anne Main's expenses payback: the full story |date=4 February 2010|work=St Albans and Harpenden Review}}{{cite web |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmstnprv/353/35302.htm |title=House of Commons - Mrs Anne Main - Standards and Privileges Committee|website=publications.parliament.uk}} Main had argued the Fees Office had told her it was permissible for her daughter to share the second home.
Main claimed £22,000 a year for a second home, despite being able to commute both from her taxpayer-funded flat in St Albans, 26 miles from Westminster, or from her family house in Beaconsfield, 31 miles from Westminster.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/2403627/MPs-claim-expenses-for-unnecessary-homes.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090530165357/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/2403627/MPs-claim-expenses-for-unnecessary-homes.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 May 2009 |title=MPs claim expenses for unnecessary homes |first=Patrick |last=Sawyer |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=12 July 2008 |access-date=26 October 2014}}
Concerns raised in connection with her parliamentary expenses resulted in an attempt by the local St Albans Conservative Association to deselect her, with a local party vote led by the association's chairwoman, Seema Kennedy, a future Member of Parliament who served as the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Immigration under Boris Johnson.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5947966/Anne-Main-expenses-de-selection-battle-descends-into-dirty-tricks-row.html |title=Anne Main: expenses de-selection battle descends into dirty tricks row |author=Prince, Rosa |date=31 July 2009 |work=The Daily Telegraph}}{{cite news |last=Watson |first=Iain |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8198888.stm |title=Tory MP faces deselection battle |work=BBC News |date=13 August 2009 |access-date=1 December 2018}}{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/6024682/Tory-MP-Anne-Main-wins-fight-against-deselection.html |title=Tory MP Anne Main wins fight against deselection |first=Andy |last=Bloxham |date=13 August 2009 |work=The Daily Telegraph}}{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8200737.stm |title=Tory MP survives deselection bid |work=BBC News |date=13 August 2009 |access-date=1 December 2018}} On 13 August 2009, the local association voted by a large margin (140 to 20 according to some sources{{cite web |url=http://conservativehome.blogs.com/goldlist/2009/08/anne-main-mp-faces-deselection-vote-this-evening.html |title=Anne Main MP faces deselection vote this evening... and survives|date=13 August 2009|website=conservativehome.blogs.com}}) to retain Main as its candidate for the forthcoming general election, which had to be held before 3 June 2010.
Personal life
Main lives with her family in Bourne End. She married her first husband Stephen Tonks in 1978, and they had a son and two daughters. Stephen Tonks died of cancer aged 34. In 1995 she married Andrew Main, a company director, with whom she had a fourth child.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4651681.stm |title=Meet the MP: Anne Main |publisher=BBC News |date=20 December 2005 |access-date=1 December 2018}}
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- [http://www.annemain.com Anne Main official website]
- {{UK MP links |parliament=mrs-anne-main/1568 |publicwhip=Anne_Main |theywork=anne_main}}
- [http://www.conservativewomen.org.uk/peo_details.asp?peo_id=5 Conservative Women]
- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4651681.stm Meet the MP]
- {{C-SPAN|100772}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|uk}}
{{s-bef|before=Kerry Pollard}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament for St Albans|years=2005–2019}}
{{s-aft|after=Daisy Cooper}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Main, Anne}}
Category:21st-century English women politicians
Category:Alumni of Swansea University
Category:Alumni of the University of Sheffield
Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
Category:Councillors in Buckinghamshire
Category:Female members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies
Category:People educated at Bishop of Llandaff Church in Wales High School
Category:People from St Albans