Darren Henry
{{short description|British politician}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Darren Henry
| honorific-suffix =
| image = Official portrait of Darren Henry MP crop 2.jpg
| office = Assistant Government Whip
| majority =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| term_start = 20 September 2022
| term_end = 27 October 2022
| birth_name = Darren George Henry
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1968|08|04}}
| birth_place = Bedford, Bedfordshire, England
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = British
| spouse = Caroline Henry
| children = 2
| party = Conservative
| residence = Broxtowe, Nottinghamshire, England
| alma_mater = University of Lincoln
| occupation = Politician
| profession = Logistician
| website = {{Official URL}}
| caption = Official portrait, 2020
| allegiance = {{flag|United Kingdom}}
| branch = {{air force|United Kingdom}}
| serviceyears = 1987–2013
| unit =
| rank = Squadron Leader
| office2 = Member of Parliament
for Broxtowe
| predecessor2 = Anna Soubry
| successor2 = Juliet Campbell
| primeminister = Liz Truss
| termstart2 = 12 December 2019
| term_end2 = 30 May 2024
}}
Darren George Henry (born 4 August 1968){{Cite book|last=Brunskill|first=Ian|title=The Times guide to the House of Commons 2019: the definitive record of Britain's historic 2019 General Election|date=19 March 2020|isbn=978-0-00-839258-1|pages=128|publisher=HarperCollins Publishers Limited |oclc=1129682574}} is a British Conservative Party politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Broxtowe from 2019 until his defeat in 2024. Henry briefly served as an Assistant Government Whip from September to October 2022.{{Cite web |title=Ministerial Appointments: September 2022 |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ministerial-appointments-september-2022 |access-date=2022-09-21 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}
Early life and career
Darren Henry was born on 4 August 1968 in Bedford, to a Jamaican-born father, Harry. His mother, Gloria, was from Trinidad.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-AJdCAbBHA |title=Video |date=26 June 2020 |publisher=YouTube |access-date=2020-10-23 |archive-date=18 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118110823/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-AJdCAbBHA&gl=US&hl=en |url-status=live }} Henry was privately educated at Rushmoor School.{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/DarrenG_Henry/status/1301053022278225922/ |title=Tweet |website=twitter.com |access-date=2020-10-23 |archive-date=2 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200902070343/https://twitter.com/DarrenG_Henry/status/1301053022278225922 |url-status=live }} He served in the Royal Air Force, and in 8 April 1993, when he was serving as a corporal, was commissioned as a flying officer in the supply branch, with seniority from 28 July 1992.{{London Gazette|issue=53324|supp=y|page=9825|date=8 June 1993}} He was promoted to flight lieutenant on 28 July 1996{{London Gazette|nolink=y|issue=54506|display-supp=y|page=11441|date=26 March 1996}} and to squadron leader on 1 January 2007.{{London Gazette|nolink=y|issue=58206|supp=1|page=18044|date=2 January 2007}}
Political career
In early 2014, Henry joined the Conservatives, noting that whilst campaigning was possible in military service it had not occurred to him to do so up until this point.{{Cite web|title=July 2020: Darren Henry MP and Ren Kapur MBE by CF Armed Forces • A podcast on Anchor|url=https://anchor.fm/cfaf/episodes/July-2020-Darren-Henry-MP-and-Ren-Kapur-MBE-eg4m9p?fbclid=IwAR1quQlAkd4uEGyWChTSBjqfUv-LGbyTJfMAQBfW6bMZIJ3fIc1p8HbcEyQ|access-date=2020-07-15|website=Anchor|language=en|archive-date=17 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200717045014/https://anchor.fm/cfaf/episodes/July-2020-Darren-Henry-MP-and-Ren-Kapur-MBE-eg4m9p?fbclid=IwAR1quQlAkd4uEGyWChTSBjqfUv-LGbyTJfMAQBfW6bMZIJ3fIc1p8HbcEyQ|url-status=live}} He aided Robert Jenrick in his campaign to win the 2014 Newark by-election.{{Cite web|url=https://www.darrenhenry.org.uk/campaigns/robert-jenrick-newark-election |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200702105135/https://www.darrenhenry.org.uk/campaigns/robert-jenrick-newark-election |archive-date=2020-07-02 |title=Robert Jenrick at the Newark by-election |website=Darren Henry |access-date=9 November 2021}}
Henry sought nomination to be the Conservative candidate in North West Hampshire, losing out to former Deputy Mayor of London Kit Malthouse.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=July 2020: Darren Henry MP and Ren Kapur MBE|url=https://anchor.fm/cfaf/episodes/July-2020-Darren-Henry-MP-and-Ren-Kapur-MBE-eg4m9p?fbclid=IwAR1quQlAkd4uEGyWChTSBjqfUv-LGbyTJfMAQBfW6bMZIJ3fIc1p8HbcEyQ|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200717045014/https://anchor.fm/cfaf/episodes/July-2020-Darren-Henry-MP-and-Ren-Kapur-MBE-eg4m9p?fbclid=IwAR1quQlAkd4uEGyWChTSBjqfUv-LGbyTJfMAQBfW6bMZIJ3fIc1p8HbcEyQ|archive-date=17 July 2020|website=|time=11:30:00}}
Prior to the 2015 general election, he was selected as the Conservative candidate for Wolverhampton North East.{{Cite web|title=Conservatives chose Wolverhampton candidate for general election|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/news/2015/01/23/conservatives-chose-wolverhampton-candidate-for-general-election/|access-date=2020-07-15|website=Expressandstar.com|date=23 January 2015 |language=en|archive-date=15 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200715172636/https://www.expressandstar.com/news/2015/01/23/conservatives-chose-wolverhampton-candidate-for-general-election/|url-status=live}} At the election Henry came second with 29.9% of the vote behind the incumbent Labour MP Emma Reynolds.{{cite web |title=Election Data 2015 |url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017112223/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt |archive-date=17 October 2015 |access-date=17 October 2015 |publisher=Electoral Calculus}}{{Cite web|url=https://electionresults.parliament.uk/election/2015-05-07/results/Location/Constituency/Wolverhampton%20North%20East|title=Wolverhampton North East – 2015 election results|date=8 May 2015|website=electionresults.parliament.uk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214161252/https://electionresults.parliament.uk/election/2015-05-07/results/Location/Constituency/Wolverhampton%20North%20East|archive-date=14 December 2019|access-date=14 December 2019|df=dmy-all|url-status=live}}
Henry served as a parish councillor in Shrewton, Wiltshire before resigning in September 2019.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Shrewton Parish Council minutes - October 2019|url=https://shrewton.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/2019.10.02-SPC-Minutes_.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200717015053/https://shrewton.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/2019.10.02-SPC-Minutes_.pdf|archive-date=17 July 2020|website=}} From May 2017 until January 2020 Henry was also a Conservative member of the Wiltshire Council unitary authority, but when he moved out of the ward, he was not able to attend the numerous parish council meetings, which caused upset in the ward.{{Cite web|date=14 December 2019|title=Councillor details – Cllr Darren Henry|url=https://cms.wiltshire.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=7221|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214163049/https://cms.wiltshire.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=7221|archive-date=14 December 2019|access-date=14 December 2019|website=cms.wiltshire.gov.uk|publisher=Wiltshire Council|location=Trowbridge}}{{Cite web|date=12 July 2020|title=Councillor details – Cllr Darren Henry|url=https://cms.wiltshire.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=7221|website=cms.wiltshire.gov.uk|publisher=Wiltshire Council|location=Trowbridge|access-date=13 December 2019|archive-date=14 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214163049/https://cms.wiltshire.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=7221|url-status=live}}
In early 2019, Henry was shortlisted to be Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=21 January 2019|title=Darren Henry - Police & Crime Commissioner Candidate Selection Meeting Information|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZTthZ3wRlk|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811145403/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZTthZ3wRlk|archive-date=11 August 2020|website=YouTube}} but lost the selection to fellow Wiltshire councillor Jonathon Seed in April 2019, whose subsequent election became void, as it later emerged that he had a previous conviction, which was not disclosed.{{Cite web|last=Franklin|first=Dave|date=2019-04-26|title=Jonathon Seed selected to stand in the Police & Crime Commissioner election next year|url=https://theswindonian.co.uk/news/jonathon-seed-selected-to-stand-in-the-police-crime-commissioner-election-next-year/|access-date=2020-07-15|website=The Swindonian|language=en-GB|archive-date=15 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200715143905/https://theswindonian.co.uk/news/jonathon-seed-selected-to-stand-in-the-police-crime-commissioner-election-next-year/|url-status=live}}
In summer 2019, he was shortlisted, along with Tony Devenish and Felicity Buchan, for the ultra-marginal West London seat of Kensington. Henry failed to be selected, losing out to Felicity Buchan.{{Cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/victoria-borwick-exboris-deputy-loses-her-bid-to-stand-again-as-tory-mp-in-kensington-a4184771.html|title=Victoria Borwick: Ex-Boris deputy loses her bid to stand again as Tory MP in Kensington|date=8 July 2019|website=Evening Standard|access-date=12 May 2020|archive-date=1 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191201222940/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/victoria-borwick-exboris-deputy-loses-her-bid-to-stand-again-as-tory-mp-in-kensington-a4184771.html|url-status=live}}
Parliamentary career
Henry was selected as the Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for Broxtowe in September 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2019/09/darren-henry-selected-as-conservative-candidate-for-broxtowe.html|title=Darren Henry selected as Conservative candidate for Broxtowe|website=Conservative Home|date=17 September 2019 |access-date=12 May 2020|archive-date=5 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200305064601/https://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2019/09/darren-henry-selected-as-conservative-candidate-for-broxtowe.html|url-status=live}} At a 2019 general election hustings, Henry said that he might introduce a private member's bill for a ban on payday loans advertising, and suggested that food bank users needed help understanding money and budgeting. At the same hustings he stated; "When people are really, really down, and when people haven't got the money, one of the things they can look to do is to get a payday loan or something like that". This led to criticism from the audience.{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tory-candidate-food-banks-poor-families-budget-darren-henry-broxtowe-a9238076.html|title=Tory candidate suggests food bank users can't 'manage their budgets' properly|date=2019-12-08|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=2019-12-15|archive-date=13 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191213213152/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tory-candidate-food-banks-poor-families-budget-darren-henry-broxtowe-a9238076.html|url-status=live}}
During the election campaign, Henry is said to have leveraged an existing relationship with Robert Jenrick to have Jenrick commit to funding Stapleford (a ward within Broxtowe) with £25 million, but only if Henry won the seat and the Conservative party won a majority.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/robert-jenrick-ignored-civil-servants-to-spend-towns-fund-millions-on-tory-marginals-9l50g32t8|title=Robert Jenrick ignored civil servants to spend Towns Fund millions on Tory marginals|first=George Grylls, Esther|last=Webber|website=The Times|access-date=29 September 2020|archive-date=29 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929050005/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/robert-jenrick-ignored-civil-servants-to-spend-towns-fund-millions-on-tory-marginals-9l50g32t8|url-status=live}}
At the 2019 general election, Henry was elected to Parliament as MP for Broxtowe with 48.1% of the vote and a majority of 5,331.{{cite web |last=Hyde |first=Ruth |date=14 November 2019 |title=Election of Member of Parliament for the Broxtowe Constituency: STATEMENT OF PERSON NOMINATED AND NOTICE OF POLL |url=https://www.broxtowe.gov.uk/media/7061/statement-of-persons-nominated-and-notice-of-poll.docx |publisher=Broxtowe Borough Council}}
In his maiden speech made on 25 June 2020,{{Cite web|date=2020-06-25|title=Darren Henry MP makes Maiden Speech in the House of Commons This Afternoon|url=https://bramcotetoday.org.uk/2020/06/25/darren-henry-mp-makes-maiden-speech-in-the-house-of-commons-this-afternoon/|access-date=2020-08-18|website=Bramcote Today|language=en|archive-date=21 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200921085001/https://bramcotetoday.org.uk/2020/06/25/darren-henry-mp-makes-maiden-speech-in-the-house-of-commons-this-afternoon/|url-status=live}} which was also in the week marking 72 years since the arrival of the Windrush generation to the UK, Henry spoke negatively of Labour for its representation of immigrants and those of the Windrush generation. Henry spoke of his pride in being the first Conservative parliamentarian of West Indian heritage.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/notts-mp-proud-first-tory-4267797|title=Notts MP proud to be first Tory MP of West Indian heritage|first=Gemma|last=Toulson|date=26 June 2020|work=Nottingham Post|access-date=28 June 2020|archive-date=28 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200628065849/https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/notts-mp-proud-first-tory-4267797|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.darrenhenry.org.uk/news/broxtowe-mp-darren-henry-makes-maiden-speech-house-commons|title=Broxtowe MP Darren Henry makes Maiden Speech in the House of Commons|website=Darren Henry|date=25 June 2020 |access-date=23 July 2020|archive-date=23 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200723085823/https://www.darrenhenry.org.uk/news/broxtowe-mp-darren-henry-makes-maiden-speech-house-commons|url-status=live}} In July 2020, in a debate on the Windrush Lessons Learned Review, Henry used a question to state "party politics is shameful" and also used the opportunity to criticise Labour for not working with the Government to "right the wrongs of Windrush".{{Cite web|title=Darren Henry debate extracts from Windrush Lessons Learned Review (Tue 21st Jul 2020)|url=https://www.parallelparliament.co.uk/mp/darren-henry/debate/commons/2020-07-21/debates/CF88BF2D-55E5-4672-8103-E28A1136C3F1/WindrushLessonsLearnedReview|access-date=2020-08-18|website=Parallelparliament.co.uk|archive-date=9 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211109125546/https://www.parallelparliament.co.uk/mp/darren-henry/debate/commons/2020-07-21/debates/CF88BF2D-55E5-4672-8103-E28A1136C3F1/WindrushLessonsLearnedReview|url-status=live}}
In March 2021, Henry apologised after a member of his staff was alleged to have turned up at the home of a blogger to get him to take down an article. Henry said he was unaware the incident had happened until it was published online.{{cite news |title=Broxtowe MP apologises after claims employee 'intimidated' blogger |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-56429122 |access-date=17 March 2021 |work=BBC News |date=17 March 2021 |archive-date=17 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210317175058/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-56429122 |url-status=live }}
In January 2022, a briefing released by the TaxPayers' Alliance revealed Henry to be "Britain's most expensive MP..." after £280,936 of expense claims during the 2020/2021 financial year.[https://www.taxpayersalliance.com/briefing_the_cost_of_mps_in_2020_21 Briefing: the cost of MPs in 2020-21] TaxPayers' Alliance, 20 January 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2022[https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/local-news/broxtowe-mp-darren-henry-named-6529174 Broxtowe MP Darren Henry named 'Britain's most expensive MP after £280,000 of expense claims'] Nottinghamshire Live, 21 January 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2022
Following the resignation of 50 ministers and aides from the service of Prime Minister Boris Johnson on 7 July 2022,{{cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jul/06/the-tory-mps-who-have-quit-boris-johnsons-government-listed | title=The Tory MPS who have quit Boris Johnson's government – listed | website=TheGuardian.com | date=7 July 2022 }} Henry reaffirmed his support for the Prime Minister.{{cite web | url=https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/local-news/conservative-mp-darren-henry-still-7301125 | title=Notts MP 'still supportive of Prime Minister' | date=6 July 2022 }}
Personal life
Darren Henry is married to Caroline Henry, who was the Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner for the Conservative Party from 2021 until 2024. They have twins.{{cite web|url=https://www.darrenhenry.org.uk/about-darren|title=Twins|website=darrenhenry.org.uk|access-date=2020-10-24|archive-date=27 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027041225/https://www.darrenhenry.org.uk/about-darren|url-status=live}}
Caroline Henry was the Conservative candidate for Nottingham North and Kimberley in the 2024 United Kingdom general election.{{Cite web |last=Pridmore |first=Oliver |date=2023-10-24 |title=Caroline Henry officially chosen to stand again for Notts PCC |url=https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/local-news/caroline-henry-officially-chosen-stand-8854566 |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=Nottinghamshire Live |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- {{UK MP links|parliament=darren-henry/4794|publicwhip=Darren_Henry|theywork=darren_henry}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|uk}}
{{s-bef|before=Anna Soubry}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament for Broxtowe|years=2019–2024}}
{{s-aft|after=Juliet Campbell}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Henry, Darren}}
Category:Alumni of the University of Lincoln
Category:Conservative Party (UK) councillors
Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
Category:English people of Jamaican descent
Category:English people of Trinidad and Tobago descent
Category:Members of Wiltshire Council
Category:Military personnel from Bedford
Category:Politicians from Bedford