Lucy Allan (politician)

Lucy Allan was born in Cheltenham on 2 October 1964,{{cite web |url=https://sites.google.com/site/cllrlucyallan/cv |title=LUCY ALLAN – Curriculum Vitae |author=Lucy Allan |publisher=Google Sites |date=27 November 2007 |access-date=30 December 2015}} the daughter of a farmer and a teacher, and grew up near Totnes, Devon. She is related to the Scottish radical socialist suffragette Janie Allan, whose family owned the Allan Line shipping company.{{cite news |author=Kennedy |first=Thom |date=6 April 2015 |title=Telford: Battle on for key seat |newspaper=Shropshire Star |url=http://www.shropshirestar.com/election/2015/04/06/telford-battle-on-for-key-seat/ |access-date=19 December 2015}}{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/lucyallan/status/949415004201250817 |title=And this my great aunt |first=Lucy Allan |last=MP }}

Allan was educated at Durham University and Kingston Law School. She has a degree in anthropology and a master's degree in employment law.{{cite web |url=https://lucyallan.wordpress.com/curriculum-vitae/ |title=CV |publisher=Lucy Allan |year=2009 |access-date=14 December 2015}}{{cite news |date=30 March 2015 |title=Constituency profile: Telford – A genuine three-horse race, say bookies |newspaper=Shropshire Star |url=http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2015/03/30/constituency-profile-telford-a-genuine-three-horse-race-say-bookies/ |access-date=19 December 2015}}

She joined Price Waterhouse as a trainee in 1987,{{cite web |url=http://conservativehome.blogs.com/goldlist/2010/02/shortlist-for-stratforduponavon.html |title=Shortlist for Stratford-on-Avon |publisher=Conservative Home |access-date=14 March 2013}} where she qualified as a Chartered Accountant and specialised in business turnaround, and in 1994 she further qualified as a Chartered Secretary in the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators.

In 1994, she moved into investment management, reaching director level, working for UBS Warburg, Gartmore Investment, De La Rue, Mercury Asset Management and First State Investments. While Head of Investment Trusts at First State Investments, which ran the Scottish American Investment Company (SAINTS) and Scottish Oriental Smaller Companies Trust,{{cite news |date=29 July 2002 |title=First State steps up closed-end presence |newspaper=Investment Week |url=http://www.investmentweek.co.uk/investment-week/news/1397130/first-state-steps-closed-presence |access-date=20 December 2015}} she was suspended in September 2003 over alleged plagiarism in statements issued by SAINTS.{{cite news |date=23 March 2004 |title=Change of direction for executive at centre of plagiarism row |newspaper=The Herald |location= |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12512977.Change_of_direction_for_executive_at_centre_of_plagiarism_row/ |access-date=20 December 2015}}{{cite news |url=http://www.efinancialnews.com/story/2003-10-13/pressure-grows-on-ivory-over-plagiarism-gaffe |title=Pressure grows on Ivory over plagiarism gaffe |author=Nick Gilbert |newspaper=Financial News |date=13 October 2003 |access-date=20 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222154119/http://www.efinancialnews.com/story/2003-10-13/pressure-grows-on-ivory-over-plagiarism-gaffe |archive-date=22 December 2015}} She was made redundant in January 2004, after First State Investments ceased to manage SAINTS.

In 2004, Allan began a master's degree in employment law and set up her employment law consultancy,{{cite web |url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/04948719 |title=Companies House – WORKPLACE LAW LIMITED |id=Company No. 04948719 |publisher=Companies House |access-date=19 December 2015}} specialising in discrimination and maternity issues. She became a non-executive director of Wandsworth NHS primary care trust in 2009 and resigned in 2010.{{cite web |url=http://ww3.wandsworth.gov.uk/news/pressreleasedetail.asp?id=6184 |title=Wandsworth Council press release |publisher=Wandsworth Council Government |access-date=14 March 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130423190933/http://ww3.wandsworth.gov.uk/news/pressreleasedetail.asp?id=6184 |archive-date=23 April 2013 |url-status=dead }} She has served as an employment tribunal panellist.

Allan was elected as a local councillor to Wandsworth London Borough Council in 2006, representing the Southfields ward, and served until 2012.{{cite web |title=Southfields ward results 2010 – Wandsworth Borough Council |url=https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/the-council/elections-voting-and-registration/elections-and-referendums/previous-election-results/local-election-results/2010-local-election-results/southfields-ward-results-2010/ |website=Wandsworth Council|access-date=7 September 2019}}

In March 2013, she was selected as the Conservative Party parliamentary candidate to contest the marginal constituency of Telford in the 2015 general election.{{cite web |url=http://www.conservatives.com/News/News_stories/2013/03/Lucy_Allan_selected_for_Telford.aspx |title=Lucy Allan selected for Telford |publisher=Conservative Party |date=27 March 2013 |website=Conservatives|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130402163426/http://www.conservatives.com/News/News_stories/2013/03/Lucy_Allan_selected_for_Telford.aspx |archive-date=2 April 2013}}{{cite web |url=http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2014/01/25/would-be-mp-is-campaigning-to-make-hospital-parking-free |title=Would-be MP is campaigning to make hospital parking free |publisher=Shropshirestar.com |date=25 January 2014 |access-date=9 May 2015}} She advocated a direct rail link to London from the town{{cite web |url=http://www.lucyallan.com/news/lucy-allan-writes-transport-secretary-about-direct-rail-link |title=writes to Transport Secretary about direct rail link |website=Lucy Allan |publisher=Lucyallan.com |date=16 January 2014 |access-date=9 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020183310/http://www.lucyallan.com/news/lucy-allan-writes-transport-secretary-about-direct-rail-link |archive-date=20 October 2014 |url-status=usurped }} and aimed to tackle the high rate of youth unemployment in Telford.{{cite web |url=http://www.lucyallan.com/campaigns/get-young-people-work |title=Campaigns |website=Lucy Allan |publisher=Lucyallan.com |access-date=9 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020183323/http://www.lucyallan.com/campaigns/get-young-people-work |archive-date=20 October 2014 |url-status=usurped }}

After Allan made a visit to her GP seeking help with symptoms of depression following a family bereavement in 2010,{{cite news|last=Taylor|first=Rebecca|url=http://www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk/news/14155191.MP_Lucy_Allan_at_centre_of_phone_message_bullying_scandal_took_legal_action_against_Tory_Wandsworth_Council_over_fitness_to_parent_investigation/ |title=Former Wandsworth councillor Lucy Allan MP at centre of phone message bullying scandal launched legal action against Tory Council to court over fitness to parent investigation|work=Wandsworth Guardian |date=18 December 2015 |access-date=21 December 2015}} Wandsworth Council launched a child protection investigation, claiming Allan's 10-year-old son was at risk of significant harm. In the wake of the controversy which followed, Allan stood down from the council, and from her directorship with the NHS. In 2011, following legal action by Allan, social services decided to take no further action.

Based on her family's experience,{{cite news |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/mother-branded-danger-to-her-son-by-a-psychiatrist-they-d-never-met-7636487.html |title=Mother branded danger to her son by a psychiatrist they'd never met |newspaper=Evening Standard |location=London |date=11 April 2012 |access-date=8 December 2015}} she founded Family First Group,{{cite web |url=http://familyfirstcampaign.squarespace.com/about |title=ABOUT |publisher=Family First Group |access-date=8 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151210200111/http://familyfirstcampaign.squarespace.com/about |archive-date=10 December 2015 |url-status=dead }} a lobby group which campaigns to reduce the number of children in state care, for improvements to the UK child protection system and support for families affected by it.{{cite web |url=http://www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk/news/9679278.Former_councillor_launches_child_protection_petition |title=Former councillor launches child protection petition |work=Wandsworth Guardian |date=2 May 2012 |access-date=8 May 2015}}

In 2012 Allan fronted a media campaign on child protection injustice, which included an appearance on ITV's This Morning.{{cite news |last=Rucki |first=Alexandra |url=http://www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk/news/9679278.Former_councillor_launches_child_protection_petition/ |title=Former councillor launches UK child protection petition |work=Wandsworth Guardian|date=2 May 2012|access-date=20 December 2015}}{{cite news|last=Cavendish|first=Camilla|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/columnists/camillacavendish/article3381340.ece|title=A depressing tale of a mother seeking help|work=The Times|date=12 April 2012|access-date=15 May 2017}} {{subscription required}} She participated in an edition of ITV's Exposure documentary series on this subject on 15 July 2014, Don't Take My Child.{{cite web |url=http://www.itv.com/presscentre/ep1week29/exposure-don%E2%80%99t-take-my-child |title=Exposure: Don't Take My Child |publisher=ITV |date=30 June 2014 |access-date=20 December 2015}}

In December 2015 Allan was accused of bullying members of staff,{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/12056095/Conservative-MP-facing-allegations-of-bullying-members-of-staff.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151217194121/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/12056095/Conservative-MP-facing-allegations-of-bullying-members-of-staff.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 December 2015 |title=Conservative MP Lucy Allan facing allegations of bullying members of staff |date=17 December 2015 |access-date=17 December 2015 |work=The Daily Telegraph |first=Laura |last=Hughes}} and leaving a series of voicemail messages to a sick employee allegedly including a threat of dismissal.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-35122833 |title=Conservative MP Lucy Allan 'threatened to sack sick employee' |publisher=BBC |date=17 December 2015 |access-date=17 December 2015}}{{cite news |last=Mason |first=Rowena |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/dec/18/tory-mp-lucy-allan-resign-alleged-bullying-two-former-aides |title=Tory MP Lucy Allan should resign over alleged bullying, say two former aides |work=The Guardian |date=18 December 2015 |access-date=20 December 2015}} On 21 December 2015, a statement about the allegations was published on Allan's website but deleted later in the day. The statement apologised for Allan's voicemail messages, which were publicly released, but stated the bullying allegations were unfounded and was critical of a former employee; the London Evening Standard characterised the statement as "a long rebuttal".{{cite news |last=Watts |first=Joseph |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/bully-storm-mp-lucy-allan-refutes-claims-in-online-post-which-is-later-deleted-a3142146.html |title='Bully' storm MP Lucy Allan refutes staffer's claims in online post... which is later deleted |work=London Evening Standard|date=21 December 2015 |access-date=21 December 2015}}{{cite news |last=Hughes |first=Laura |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/12062389/Conservative-MP-facing-allegations-of-bullying-staff-criticises-her-alleged-victim-in-deleted-statement.html |title=Conservative MP facing allegations of bullying staff criticises her alleged victim in deleted statement |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=21 December 2015 |access-date=21 December 2015}} Later in January 2016, Allan acknowledged sending the voicemails was "stupid" and she regretted shouting at the employee, but denied her actions amounted to bullying.{{cite news |url=http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2016/01/18/my-actions-were-stupid-telford-mp-lucy-allan-admits/ |title=My actions were stupid, Telford MP Lucy Allan admits |work=Shropshire Star |date=18 January 2016 |access-date=9 April 2016}}

In January 2016 Allan stated that on national issues her approach in general is to advance within parliament the "libertarian agenda", to prevent the increasing influence of the state. For example, she was against a sugar tax that was under consideration by her party.{{cite news |url=http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2016/01/18/lucy-allan-mp-it-is-time-to-get-back-to-work/ |title=Lucy Allan MP: It is time to get back to work |work=Shropshire Star |date=18 January 2016 |access-date=9 April 2016}} Allan voted to leave the EU in the June 2016 referendum.{{cite news |url=http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2016/01/15/telford-mp-lucy-allan-will-vote-to-leave-the-eu/ |title=Telford MP Lucy Allan will vote to leave the EU |work=Shropshire Star |date=15 January 2016 |access-date=9 April 2016}}

In June 2016 Allan introduced a private member's bill to repeal provisions in the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 to require staff to report possible signs of extremism or radicalisation amongst primary and nursery school aged children, following a number of high-profile cases where the provision was inappropriately used in relation the government's Prevent strategy.{{cite news |url=https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/politics/2016/06/30/telford-mp-lucy-allan-tables-parliamentary-bill-over-school-counter-terrorism-measures/ |title=Telford MP Lucy Allan tables Parliamentary bill over school counter-terrorism measures |work=Shropshire Star |date=7 March 2017 |access-date=13 May 2017}}

Allan is a supporter of Brexit, and argued that the country needed to be prepared for a no-deal Brexit if necessary.{{Cite web|url=https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/politics/2018/07/13/brexit-white-paper-time-to-get-tough-on-europe-says-telford-mp-lucy-allan/|title=Brexit White Paper: Time to get tough on Europe, says Telford MP Lucy Allan|first=Mat|last=Growcott|website=www.shropshirestar.com|date=13 July 2018 }} In April 2019, Allan welcomed the "fantastic" candidates from the Brexit Party ahead of that year's European elections.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-48040513 |title=Conservative MP Lucy Allan welcomes Brexit Party candidates |work=BBC News |date=24 April 2019 |access-date=2019-10-16}} She defended the comment after being criticised by some Conservative loyalists, saying that party loyalties would be "eclipsed" by the Brexit issue at the ballot box.{{cite web|last=Johnston |first=John |url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/conservative-party/news/103400/tory-splits-erupt-once-again-mp-hails- |title=Tory splits erupt once again as MP hails 'fantastic' Brexit Party candidates |work=PoliticsHome.com |access-date=2019-10-16}}

In December 2015 Allan posted on Facebook an email she said she received from a constituent; the email was edited and ended with the words "unless you die". Allan later acknowledged that she had added those words to the email (saying she had taken them from a different email), leading to accusations of her faking a death threat.Jon Stone, [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tory-mp-lucy-allan-pulls-out-of-bbc-interview-after-being-told-she-can-t-veto-questions-a6826816.html "Tory MP Lucy Allan pulls out of BBC interview after being told she can't veto questions"], The Independent, 22 January 2016{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35027252 |title=Telford MP Lucy Allan defends adding death threat |work=BBC News|date=7 December 2015 |access-date=8 December 2015}}{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tory-mp-defends-faking-death-threat-over-syria-air-strikes-vote-a6764766.html |title=Tory MP defends faking death threat over Syria air strikes vote |author=Matt Dathan |newspaper=The Independent |date=9 December 2015 |access-date=9 December 2015}} Allan temporarily deactivated her Facebook and Twitter accounts following the incident.{{cite news |url=http://blogs.new.spectator.co.uk/2015/12/fake-death-threat-tory-mp-wipes-herself-from-the-web/ |title=Fake death threat Tory MP wipes herself from the web |author=Steerpike |newspaper=The Spectator |date=8 December 2015 |access-date=10 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151209175516/http://blogs.new.spectator.co.uk/2015/12/fake-death-threat-tory-mp-wipes-herself-from-the-web/ |archive-date=9 December 2015 |url-status=dead }} Allan later apologised for creating a "misleading impression", and said the controversy was not about her use of social media, but due to "activists unhappy they didn't get the MP they wanted".{{cite news |url=http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2015/12/14/telford-mp-lucy-allan-tells-of-weirdest-week-as-protest-is-launched/ |title=Telford MP Lucy Allan tells of 'weirdest week' as protest is launched |newspaper=Shropshire Star |date=14 December 2015 |access-date=14 December 2015}}

On 14 May 2020, Allan was criticised after she retweeted a doctored video from a far-right Twitter account which falsely claimed that Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer obstructed the prosecution of grooming gangs while he served as Director of Public Prosecutions.{{Cite web|date=2020-05-14|title=No 10 rebukes Tory MPs over misleading Keir Starmer video|url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/may/14/labour-urges-tory-mps-to-admit-keir-starmer-video-was-doctored|access-date=2021-05-29|website=The Guardian|language=en}} Allan was reprimanded for her actions by Conservative whips.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/may/14/labour-urges-tory-mps-to-admit-keir-starmer-video-was-doctored |title=No 10 rebukes Tory MPs over misleading Keir Starmer video |author1=Peter Walker |author2=Steven Morris |newspaper=The Guardian |date=14 May 2020 |access-date=14 May 2020}}

In May 2024, Allan was suspended from the Conservative Party for publicly supporting the Reform UK candidate for Telford, Alan Adams; Allan resigned from the party the same day. On 29 May 2024, it was reported that she was considering standing as a Reform UK candidate.{{Cite web|url=https://inews.co.uk/news/lucy-allan-talks-stand-reform-election-3080423|title=Ex-Tory MP in talks to stand for Reform after she was suspended by Conservatives|first=David|last=Parsley|date=29 May 2024|website=inews.co.uk}}

Allan is married to a stockbroker and has a son.{{cite web |url=https://lucyallan.wordpress.com/about-lucy/ |title=About Lucy |publisher=Lucy Allan |year=2009 |access-date=14 December 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://www.wandsworthconservatives.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=itemlist&task=user&id=77:lucyallan |title=Lucy Allan |publisher=Wandsworth Conservatives |date=19 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100421073015/http://www.wandsworthconservatives.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=itemlist&task=user&id=77%3Alucyallan |archive-date=21 April 2010 |url-status=dead }} They live in Southfields, Wandsworth. Allan also had a constituency house in Oakengates, Telford.{{Cite web|url=https://telford.gov.uk/downloads/file/10990/statement_of_persons_nominated_and_notice_of_poll_|title=Statement of Persons Nominated – Telford Constituency General Election 2019}}

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Category:Living people

Category:1964 births

Category:Alumni of Trevelyan College, Durham

Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies

Category:English people of Scottish descent

Category:21st-century British women politicians

Category:Female members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies

Category:Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for constituencies in Shropshire

Category:UK MPs 2015–2017

Category:UK MPs 2017–2019

Category:UK MPs 2019–2024

Category:Politicians from Shropshire

Category:21st-century English women

Category:21st-century English politicians

Category:Councillors in the London Borough of Wandsworth

Category:Conservative Party (UK) councillors

Category:Independent members of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom

Category:British Eurosceptics