Gary Sambrook

{{short description|British Conservative Party politician}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name =

| image = Official portrait of Gary Sambrook MP crop 2.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Official portrait, 2019

| office = Executive Secretary of the 1922 Committee

| leader = Boris Johnson
Liz Truss
Rishi Sunak

| term_start = 29 June 2021

| term_end = 30 May 2024

| alongside = Bob Blackman

| successor =

| predecessor =

| 1blankname = Chairman

| 1namedata = Sir Graham Brady

| office1 = Member of Parliament
for Birmingham Northfield

| predecessor1 = Richard Burden

| successor1 = Laurence Turner

| termstart1 = 12 December 2019

| termend1 = 30 May 2024

| majority1 =

| office2 = Member of Birmingham City Council
for Kingstanding

| predecessor2 =

| successor2 = Rick Payne

| term_start2 = 13 February 2014

| term_end2 = 5 May 2022

| honorific_suffix =

| party = Conservative Party

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1989|06|25}}

| birth_place =

| nationality =

| partner =

| relations =

| children =

| residence =

| alma_mater =

| occupation =

| profession = Politician

| signature =

| website = {{URL|https://www.walkthroughwalls.co.uk/}}

| footnotes =

}}

Gary William Sambrook{{cite web|url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2019-12-18/debates/2E37F0BD-4DF0-40A6-B9F9-0607212DBFB1/MembersSworn|title=Members Sworn|website=Hansard.parliament.uk|date=18 December 2019|access-date=28 January 2020}} (born 25 June 1989){{Cite book|last=Brunskill|first=Ian|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/1129682574|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=105|publisher=HarperCollins Publishers Limited |oclc=1129682574}} is a British Conservative Party politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Birmingham Northfield from 2019 until 2024.{{Cite news |title=Birmingham Northfield parliamentary constituency – Election 2019 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/politics/constituencies/E14000565 |work=BBC News}} He served as the Joint Executive Secretary of the backbench 1922 Committee from 2021 until he left parliament.{{cite web|url=https://mobile.twitter.com/GarySambrook89/status/1409833813430214662 |title=Pleased to have been elected unopposed along with @BobBlackman as Joint Secretary of the 1922 Committee. Looking forward to another year of working constructively with backbench colleagues and Government on delivering our pledges|website=Mobile.twitter.com|access-date=8 June 2022}}

Early life

Gary Sambrook was born and raised in Kingstanding, Birmingham. His early experiences in Kingstanding, an underprivileged area, fuelled his passion for societal change. Despite attending a challenging school with a low pass rate, Sambrook's organic interest in politics led him to join the Conservative Party at 16.

Starting his political activism at just 16, Sambrook engaged in community efforts, including campaigning to save a local school and becoming the youngest chairman of a Neighbourhood Watch in the UK.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=January 2025 |title=Birmingham Business - January/February 2025 |url=https://www.birminghambiz.co.uk/images/Magazine/BirminghamBusiness.pdf |access-date=13 January 2025 |website=Birmingham Business |pages=43-44}}

Political career

Sambrook became a councillor for Birmingham City Council in 2014, winning the Kingstanding ward seat, based on the area of the same name, in a by-election. During his campaign to become a councillor, he appeared in the Birmingham Mail when two local supporters, Ben Coleman and Michael Mason, composed a song in support of his campaign.{{Cite web|url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/vote-gary---best-or-6639591|title=Poll: Is this the best (or worst) political campaign song ever? Vote Gary!|last=Greatrex |first=Jonny |date=28 January 2014|website=Birmingham Mail |access-date=17 April 2020}} He has also worked for MP James Morris.{{cite web |title=Gary Sambrook MP |url=https://art4charity.co.uk/gary-sambrook-mp/ |website=art4charity |date=23 March 2021 |access-date=27 March 2022}}

Parliamentary career

At the 2019 general election, Sambrook was elected to Parliament as MP for Birmingham Northfield with 46.3% of the vote and a majority of 1,640.{{cite news |title=General election 2019: Tories take Birmingham Northfield |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50769321 |access-date=5 May 2022 |work=BBC News |date=13 December 2019}}{{cite news |title=Birmingham Northfield Parliamentary constituency |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000565 |access-date=1 December 2019 |website=BBC News |publisher=BBC}}{{cite web |title=Parliamentary General Election Results December 2019 |url=https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/20097/elections_and_voting/2019/parliamentary_general_election_results_december_2019/6 |access-date=14 December 2019 |publisher=Birmingham City Council}}

Sambrook is a member of both the Procedure and Ecclesiastical Committees.{{Cite web|title=Parliamentary career for Gary Sambrook - MPs and Lords - UK Parliament|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/4760/career|access-date=9 July 2021|website=members.parliament.uk|language=en}} According to the Financial Times, Sambrook is an "influential backbencher" and an executive secretary of the 1922 Committee.{{cite news |last1=Hughes |first1=Laura |last2=Cameron-Chileshe |first2=Jasmine |date=20 January 2022 |title=Who are the Tory MPs plotting against Boris Johnson? |url=https://www.ft.com/content/e77a7ec6-c921-48ae-b126-beb25e821832 |access-date=5 May 2022 |work=Financial Times}}

In 2020, Sambrook, as a Freemason, supported BrumWish, a campaign aimed at providing gifts and essential items to homeless children in Birmingham during Christmas. Sambrook stated, about the campaign, "I knew the appeal would resonate with our members, and I was delighted they agreed."{{Cite web |last=Balloo |first=Stephanie |date=2020-12-14 |title=Every homeless child in city B&Bs to receive teddy in our BrumWish appeal |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/every-homeless-child-city-bbs-19438622?fbclid=IwAR3Nl0oxgqkI8SO__BrRPfYfuUd9RWUFxedkUms1c9t8Y2LHKLzK5eJE-VA |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Birmingham Live |language=en}}

In October 2020, Sambrook, along with most other Conservative MPs, voted against a Labour Party Opposition Day Motion to extend the emergency COVID-19 pandemic provision of providing free school meals during school holidays until Easter 2021.[https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/one-birmingham-mp-voted-against-19145449 How Birmingham MPs voted in free school meals plea] Sambrook's vote inspired graffiti reading "Gary Sambrook eats big dinners", to which he was reported by the BBC as responding "Apparently if you disagree that vouchers is the only way to solve poverty this is what happens."{{Cite news |date=2020-10-26 |title=MP Stuart Anderson 'received death threats' over school meals vote |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-birmingham-54699067 |access-date=2024-09-05 |language=en-GB}} The graffiti was noted as surreal by The Economist{{Cite news |title=The rise of the self-pitying MP |url=https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/07/20/the-rise-of-the-self-pitying-mp |access-date=2024-09-05 |work=The Economist |issn=0013-0613}} and "the most perfect sentence ever written" by The Guardian columnist Joel Golby.{{Cite news |last=Golby |first=Joel |date=2020-10-27 |title=England's food is awful – and the Tories still refuse to give it to children |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/27/england-food-tories-children-free-school-meals-holidays |access-date=2024-09-05 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

In August 2021 he opposed the conversion of a residential home into a children's home for up to four children with emotional, behavioural and educational difficulties by circulating a letter stating, among various reasons, it would have a "negative impact on the area" and would "compromise the quality of the area". Sambrook said: "All children deserve a good quality home to live in. Especially children in care".{{cite news |last1=Cardwell |first1=Mark |title=Residents slam 'disgusting' MP letter opposing children's home |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/residents-slam-disgusting-mp-letter-21302334 |access-date=5 May 2022 |work=Birmingham Mail |date=13 August 2021 |language=en}}

In October 2021, Sambrook voted against an amendment to an Environment Bill that would have made it more difficult for water companies to dump raw sewage into rivers because Sambrook maintained it "was not fully costed and there was no plan to implement it" and "was also predicted to cost around £150 billion".{{Cite news |last=Dare |first=Tom |date=27 October 2021 |title=Birmingham MP accused of 'letting our waterways fill with waste and sewage' |work=Birmingham Live |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/birmingham-mp-accused-letting-waterways-21983126 |access-date=4 May 2022}}

Sambrook publicly campaigned for a ban on gay conversion therapy in the UK. He described the practice as "harmful" and "outdated", advocating for legislation to protect LGBTQ+ individuals from such treatments.{{Cite web |last=Walker |first=Jonathan |date=2021-03-09 |title=Birmingham MP suffered 'turmoil' when they came out as gay |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/birmingham-mp-gary-sambrook-talks-20012938 |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Birmingham Live |language=en}}

In January 2022, Sambrook was named as one of the MPs plotting to oust Boris Johnson from his position as prime minister over Partygate.{{cite news |last1=Sheridan |first1=Danielle |title=Meet the MPs leading the 'pork pie plot' rebellion against Boris Johnson |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/01/19/meet-mps-leading-pork-pie-plot-rebellion-against-boris-johnson/ |access-date=5 May 2022 |work=The Telegraph |date=19 January 2022}} In an email to constituents he stated "I would expect anyone who is found to have broken the law to seriously consider their position in government, and that includes the Prime Minister".{{cite news |last1=Ferguson |first1=Emily |title=Who are the pork pie plotters? The 18 Tory MPs hoping to oust Boris Johnson |url=https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/pork-pie-plot-who-tory-mps-oust-boris-johnson-no-confidence-vote-1410126 |access-date=5 May 2022 |work=inews.co.uk |date=19 January 2022 |language=en}} By February however he was no longer calling for Johnson to resign.{{cite news |title='The Boris Johnson we love' - Birmingham MP throws support behind Prime Minister |url=https://www.birminghamworld.uk/news/the-boris-johnson-we-love-birmingham-mp-throws-support-behind-prime-minister-3550286 |access-date=5 May 2022 |work=www.birminghamworld.uk |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Bush |first1=Stephen |title=Boris Johnson's toxicity has an upside – it damages his potential successors |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/conservatives/2022/02/boris-johnsons-toxicity-has-an-upside-it-damages-his-potential-successors |access-date=5 May 2022 |work=New Statesman |date=1 February 2022}} In July 2022, in the aftermath of the Chris Pincher scandal, Sambrook accused Johnson of blaming other people for his own mistakes and again called on him to resign.{{cite news |title=Boris Johnson: Embattled PM vows to keep going amid Tory revolt |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-62065534 |access-date=6 July 2022 |work=BBC News |date=6 July 2022}}

Sambrook stated that securing funding for the rebuilding of Balaam Wood Academy was one of his proudest achievements. The project improved facilities, providing a modern learning environment for students. He stated "The rebuilding of Balaam Wood Academy is among my proudest achievements. Investing in our schools ensures a brighter future for the next generation."{{Cite web |title=Balaam Wood Academy rebuilding among my proudest achievements- Gary Sambrook’s Westminster Diary |url=https://bromsgrovestandard.co.uk/news/balaam-wood-academy-rebuilding-among-my-proudest-achievements-gary-sambrooks-westminster-diary/ |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Bromsgrove Standard |language=en}}

Sambrook was re-selected in March 2023 as the Conservative candidate for Birmingham Northfield at the 2024 general election.{{cite tweet |number=1639365966889926667 |user=GarySambrook89 |title=Pleased to have been re-adopted tonight as the @Conservatives candidate for the next general election 😊🇬🇧 |author=Gary Sambrook |date=March 24, 2023}} He lost his seat to Laurence Turner, the Labour Party candidate who received 14,929 votes to Sambrook's 9,540 votes.{{cite web |title=Birmingham Northfield - General election results 2024 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/E14001097 |website=BBC News |access-date=6 January 2025}}

Career post-parliament

Since leaving Parliament, Gary Sambrook has become the managing partner at Walk Through Walls, a consultancy specialising in campaigns, communications, and public affairs.{{Cite web |last=turtle |date=2024-07-18 |title=Walk Through Walls Welcomes Gary Sambrook as New Managing Partner |url=https://walkthroughwalls.co.uk/2024/07/18/walk-through-walls-welcomes-gary-sambrook-as-new-managing-partner/ |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Walk Through Walls |language=en-GB}}

Personal life

Sambrook is a freemason.{{Cite news|url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/top-tory-says-im-freemason-14283153|title=Top Tory says: 'I'm a Freemason and proud'|last=Elkes|first=Neil|date=13 February 2018|work=Birmingham Mail |access-date=18 December 2019}} He is gay.

References

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