Victoria Borwick

Born in London, the only child of Wing Cdr Dennis Poore (1916–1987), a kinsman of the Poore baronets, she was educated at Wispers School.{{Who's Who | title=Borwick, Victoria Lorne Peta | id = U246992 | volume = 2017 | edition = November 2016 online | access-date = 20 October 2017 }} She married Jamie Borwick"Marriages", The Times, 21 March 1981, p. 16. on 20 March 1981, who succeeded his uncle in 2007 as the 5th Baron Borwick and entered the House of Lords in 2013 as one of the 92 elected hereditary peers. They have three sons and a daughter:"Borwick, 5 Baron" in "Debrett's People of Today, 2014". 2nd son the Hon. Thomas Borwick is a digital media strategist for the Conservative Party.{{cite web |last1=Geoghegan |first1=Peter |title=Revealed: Former Vote Leave data chief accused of pro-Tory 'disinformation' |url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/dark-money-investigations/revealed-former-vote-leave-data-chief-accused-pro-tory-disinformation/ |publisher=Open Democracy |access-date=3 December 2019}}

Borwick was in the event management industry for most of her working life, including being group director of events of shipping company P&O."[http://www.cps.org.uk/cpsfile.asp?id=676 The Cost of the London Mayor]", Centre for Policy Studies, January 2007. She organised the Olympia Fine Art and Antiques Fairs as director from 1990 to 2001,{{cite news | last = Bennett | first = Will | title = Contemporary market | work = Daily Telegraph | date = 24 September 2001 | page = 18}} and in 2002 was recruited to assist International Fine Art Expositions' New International Fine Art Fair in New York City.{{cite web | title = DMG Brings Antique Fair to New York | url = http://www.giftsanddec.com/article/CA230075.html | website = giftsanddec.com | publisher = Gifts & Decorative Accessories}}

As President of the British Antique Dealers' Association, she became the subject of media speculation during the run-up to the 2017 general election for using her friendship with Theresa May to influence the Conservative Party into dropping a 2015 manifesto pledge for the total ban of selling ivory in the United Kingdom.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/may/22/why-would-theresa-may-ditch-pledge-ban-ivory-trading|title=Why would Theresa May ditch a pledge to ban ivory trading?|first=Michele|last=Hanson|work=the Guardian|date=22 May 2017}}{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/conservatives-ivory-trade-ban-2017-manifesto-scrap-pledge-illegal-poaching-a7748581.html|title=Conservatives quietly bin pledge to ban ivory trade in 2017 manifesto|first=Lucy|last=Pasha-Robinson|work=The Independent|date=22 May 2017}}{{cite news|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/tories-quietly-ditch-manifesto-promise-10470431|title=Tories quietly ditch manifesto promise to ban bloodthirsty ivory trade that kills thousands of elephants a year|first=Joshua|last=Taylor|work=the Mirror|date=21 May 2017}}

Admitted to the Freedom of the City of London, Lady Borwick is a member of the livery of the Clockmakers' Company.

In September 1999, Borwick was chosen as Conservative mayoral candidate Steve Norris' running mate and potential deputy mayor for the 2000 London Mayoral election.{{cite news | title =Norris names his running mate | work = London Evening Standard | date = 17 September 1999 | page = 2}} She was also given a place on the Conservative Party list for the London Assembly, although unsuccessful in getting elected.

Borwick was elected to Kensington and Chelsea London Borough Council in May 2002 as Councillor for the Abingdon Ward.[http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/yourcouncil/yourcouncillor/aber02.asp Abingdon Ward Local Elections May 2002]. She became Director of Income Generation and Marketing for the Conservative Party in October 2002, with the aim of increasing revenue from the party's supporter base.{{cite news | last = Kleinman | first = Mark | title = Tories hire chief to regain core votes | url = http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/tories-hire-chief-regain-core-votes/160612 | work = Campaign | publisher = Haymarket Media Group Ltd | date = 10 October 2002 | page =1 }}

In the run-up to the 2004 London Mayoral election, Borwick declared her intention to seek the Conservative mayoral candidacy.{{cite news | title = 10 fight Norris for Tory Mayor chance | work = London Evening Standard | date = December 2002 | page = 6}} She made the shortlist but was not one of the final two in the selection, which included Steve Norris who received the nomination.{{cite news | last = Reiss | first = Charles | title = Norris becomes Tories' favourite to be Mayor | work = London Evening Standard | date = 16 January 2003 | page = 2}} She spoke subsequently at the 2003 Conservative Party Conference in support of Norris. In her speech she said of the incumbent Mayor Ken Livingstone that "you are the weakest link, goodbye", alluding to her supposed resemblance with the television presenter Anne Robinson.{{cite news | title =Conservatives in Blackpool: Yesterday's Highlights | work = The Independent| date = 8 October 2003 | page = 11 }}

Borwick assisted the think tank Open Europe from 2009 to 2015 as a member of its Advisory Board.{{cite web | title = Meet the Open Europe team | url = http://archive.openeurope.org.uk/Page/Staff/en/LIVE | website = archive.openeurope.org.uk | publisher = Open Europe }}

Borwick announced her candidacy for the nomination for the 2008 mayoral election in July 2006. During her initial campaign, she declared "London needs a redhead, not Red Ken" in allusion to her hair colour.{{cite news | last1 = Murphy | first1 = Joe |last2 = Crerar | first2 = Pippa | title = The redhead aiming to challenge Red Ken; Zero-tolerance from woman entering Tory mayoral candidacy race | work = London Evening Standard | date = 18 July 2006 | page =10 }} The Conservative Party, however, would later announce that the candidates "did not satisfy the party's hope of attracting a national name" and postponed the planned open primaries.{{cite news | last1 = Carlin | first1 = Brendan |last2 = Isaby | first2 = Jonathan | title = Mayoral fanfare backfires on Tories | work = Daily Telegraph | date = 5 August 2006 | page = 8}} In 2007, she published a Centre for Policy Studies pamphlet entitled "The Cost of Ken" which itemised the Greater London Authority budget.

In the middle of the postponed mayoral selection, Borwick unsuccessfully ran for the selection as Conservative London Assembly candidate for West Central against Kit Malthouse.{{cite news | title = Londoner's Diary | work = London Evening Standard | date = 27 March 2007 | page = 15}} The Mayoral selection resumed in summer 2007, and Borwick was one of the final four candidates shortlisted."Boris joins Tory four for London", Sunday Times, 22 July 2007, p. 2. She finished second in the ballot, receiving 1,869 votes compared to the winner Boris Johnson's 15,661 ballots.{{cite news | last = Lydall | first = Ross | title = Tory candidate Boris: King Newt's days as Mayor are numbered | work = London Evening Standard | date = 27 September 2007 | page = 1}} She later acted as a consultant in Johnson's successful campaign.{{cite news | last = Crerar | first = Pippa | title = Team BoJo creates big tent in bid to reach City Hall | work = London Evening Standard | date = 20 November 2007 | page =1}}

Borwick was elected to the London Assembly as one of three London-wide members for the Conservatives after the 2008 election. She had been placed second on the Conservative list for the election after unsuccessfully seeking to become a prospective parliamentary candidate.{{cite web | title = London-wide Assembly members by party | url = http://results.londonelects.org.uk/Results/LondonWideResults.aspx | website = results.londonelects.org.uk | publisher = London Elects | date = 1 May 2008}}

Having been returned as a Member (AM) in the 2012 election, Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, appointed her Deputy Mayor of London in succession to Richard Barnes.{{cite web | last = Hoscik | first = Martin |title= Victoria Borwick named new Deputy Mayor of London |url=http://www.mayorwatch.co.uk/victoria-borwick-named-new-deputy-mayor-of-london/201221164 | website = mayorwatch.co.uk | publisher = Mayor Watch | date = 9 May 2012}}{{cite web |title=Investment providing platform for economic growth| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20150415145935/http://www.london.gov.uk/media/mayor-press-releases/2012/05/investment-providing-platform-for-economic-growth | archive-date = 15 April 2015 |url=http://www.london.gov.uk/media/press_releases_mayoral/investment-providing-platform-economic-growth | website = london.gov.uk | publisher = Greater London Authority | date = 9 May 2012}}

In an interview with the London Evening Standard in 2013, Borwick was described as "the person who would step up should Boris ever fall under a [proverbial] London bus" as Johnson's "First Deputy".{{cite news | title = It would be fantastic to take over from mayor: aide | work = London Evening Standard | url = http://www.gulf-times.com/uk-europe/183/details/356460/it-would-be-fantastic-to-take-over-from-mayor:-aide | date = 16 June 2013}}{{cite news | last = Crerar | first = Pippa | title = It would be fantastic to take over from Boris | url = http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2xAB65FQF9s/Ubt2tWtO5SI/AAAAAAAAE3k/u6EMTHpZFQg/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-06-14+at+20.47.50.png | work = London Evening Standard | date = 14 June 2013 | pages =20–21 | via = From The Hornet's Nest (blog) }} On 16 September 2015, she resigned from the Assembly, Conservative Kemi Badenoch succeeding to her seat.{{cite web|title=New Assembly Member appointed|url=https://www.london.gov.uk/media/assembly-press-releases/2015/09/new-assembly-member-appointed | website = london.gov.uk | publisher = Greater London Authority|access-date=23 September 2015}}

On 13 March 2015, Borwick was selected as the Conservative PPC for the Kensington constituency at the 2015 general election. The seat was previously held by Conservative MP Sir Malcolm Rifkind during the 2010–2015 Parliament.

On 7 May 2015, Borwick was elected as Member for Kensington with 18,199 votes (a majority of 7,361 over Labour). The Conservative vote increased by 2.2% compared with the previous election, though there was a 1.7% swing to Labour. She resigned as Deputy Mayor on 13 May 2015, being replaced by fellow Assembly Member, Roger Evans,{{cite web | last = Hoscik | first = Martin |title= Roger Evans appointed as Deputy Mayor of London |url=http://www.mayorwatch.co.uk/roger-evans-appointed-as-deputy-mayor-of-london/ | website = mayorwatch.co.uk | publisher = Mayor Watch | date = 25 March 2015}} and stood down from the Assembly on 16 September 2015, with Kemi Badenoch appointed to her seat.

The Sunday Telegraph revealed in June 2015 that Borwick was "topping up her Parliamentary salary with tens of thousands of pounds in public money from two additional elected roles", in contrast to the practice of other MPs who, despite also acting as London councillors, had given up their allowances to avoid taking multiple salaries on the public purse.{{cite news|last = Hope | first = Christopher|title=Revealed: The 'triple dipper' Conservative MP who is paid nearly £100,000 a year for three elected jobs|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/11686725/Revealed-The-triple-dipper-MP-who-is-paid-nearly-100000-a-year-for-three-jobs.html | work = Daily Telegraph | date = 20 June 2015}}

Borwick assisted the eurosceptic think tank Open Europe from 2009, being a Member of the Advisory Board until 2015.

Borwick publicly supported Brexit in the 2016 referendum and, with her son, Thomas Borwick, campaigned for Vote Leave.{{cite news|last1=Goodenough|first1=Tom|title=Which Tory MPs back Brexit, who doesn't and who is still on the fence?|url=http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/02/which-tory-mps-back-brexit-who-doesnt-and-who-is-still-on-the-fence/|access-date=11 October 2016|work=The Spectator|date=16 February 2016}} This is in spite of the fact that the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (in which the Kensington constituency is located) had a greater proportion of EU nationals than any other London borough in 2016.{{cite news | last = Prynn | first = Jonathan |title=Revealed: The London areas where EU citizens' Brexodus could harm property prices|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/revealed-the-london-areas-where-eu-citizens-brexodus-could-harm-property-prices-a3318401.html|work=Evening Standard | date = 12 August 2016}} 69% of the borough, in contrast to Borwick, voted in favour of Britain's continued membership of the European Union.{{cite web|title=Referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union: The result|url=https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/local-democracy-and-elections/referendum-uk’s-membership-european-union-result | website = rbkc.gov.uk | publisher = Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea}}

The London Evening Standard reported that the discrepancy between Borwick's views on this matter and those of her constituents put her at risk of losing the Kensington seat in the 2017 general election.{{Cite news | last = Murphy | first = Joe |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/Front/london-mps-face-brexit-battle-to-keep-seats-from-ukip-and-lib-dems-over-eu-views-a3431441.html|title=London MPs face 'Brexit battle' to keep seats over EU views|date=3 January 2017|work=London Evening Standard|access-date=20 May 2017|language=en-GB}}

Borwick was one of over 70 signatories to an open letter from Conservative Members of Parliament to the BBC in March 2017, criticising the broadcaster's coverage of Brexit and accusing it of being "unable to break out of pre-referendum pessimism" by ignoring "economic good news" since the referendum.{{Cite news|last=Morrison|first=Caitlin |title= BBC accused of Brexit bias: MPs' letter in full |url=http://www.cityam.com/261358/bbc-accused-brexit-bias-more-than-70-mps-mps-letter-full| work = City A.M.|date=21 March 2017|access-date=2 June 2017|language=en-GB}}

The British press reported in the run-up to the election that Borwick, being acquainted with the incumbent Prime Minister Theresa May, was influential in the decision to remove from the Conservative manifesto the party's previous pledge of a total ban on ivory trading.{{Cite news| last = Hanson | first = Michele|url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/may/22/why-would-theresa-may-ditch-pledge-ban-ivory-trading|title=Why would Theresa May ditch a pledge to ban ivory trading?|date=22 May 2017|work=The Guardian|access-date=2 June 2017|language=en-GB}}{{Cite news | last = Pasha-Robinson | first = Lucy |url= https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/conservatives-ivory-trade-ban-2017-manifesto-scrap-pledge-illegal-poaching-a7748581.html|title=Tories just quietly scrapped their pledge to ban the ivory trade|work=The Independent|date=22 May 2017|access-date = 6 June 2017 |language=en-GB}} Borwick, who also serves as President of the British Antique Dealers' Association, told the House of Commons in 2016 "any ban on antique ivory is cultural vandalism". She restated her mission to keep the ivory trade alive in 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/londoners-diary/the-londoner-tessa-jowell-s-son-sets-sights-on-politics-a4050656.html|title=The Londoner: Victoria Borwick is an endangered species|date=28 January 2019|website=Evening Standard|language=en}}

On 31 May 2017, Borwick participated alongside rival parliamentary candidates at a local hustings in Notting Hill, at which, according to the London Evening Standard, she was repeatedly heckled and booed by constituents.{{Cite news |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/londoners-diary/londoners-diary-boos-for-victoria-borwick-at-kensington-hustings-a3554401.html|title=Londoner's Diary: Boos for Victoria Borwick at Kensington hustings|date = 1 June 2017 |work=London Evening Standard|access-date=2 June 2017 |language=en-GB}} Borwick did not attend the subsequent constituency hustings on 5 June 2017 in Earl's Court, an absence that was mocked by the Evening Standard.{{Cite news |title=Londoner's Diary: Will Boris hoof out McGregor on Thursday? |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/londoners-diary/londoners-diary-will-boris-hoof-out-mcgregor-on-thursday-a3557081.html |work=London Evening Standard|date=5 June 2017|access-date=6 June 2017|language=en-GB}} On 7 June 2017, Borwick's campaign team was accused in the media of having deleted comments from residents of Kensington on her social media platforms.{{Cite web|url=http://www.netimperative.com/2017/06/social-media-politics-turns-sour-deletegate/|title=Social media politics turns sour: #DeleteGate |date=7 June 2017 | website = netimperative.com |publisher = Netimperative |language=en-GB}}

Borwick lost by 20 votes to Labour, which won the Kensington seat for the first time.{{cite news|title=Kensington Parliamentary constituency|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000768|work=BBC News|access-date=10 June 2017}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/09/labour-rounds-off-remarkable-election-with-narrow-win-in-kensington|title=Labour rounds off remarkable election with narrow win in Kensington|newspaper=The Guardian|date=10 June 2017|access-date=14 November 2020}} The Conservatives' loss of this once-safe seat surprised many and was widely reported in the British and international media as a consequence of Borwick's support of a hard Brexit.{{Cite news | last = Stanley-Becker | first = Isaac |title=In Kensington, a super-posh neighborhood of London, signs of Labour's new strength |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/in-kensington-a-super-posh-neighborhood-of-london-signs-of-labours-new-strength/2017/06/10/aa39f4ca-4d53-11e7-987c-42ab5745db2e_story.html|newspaper=Washington Post |date= 10 June 2017 |access-date=12 June 2017}}{{Cite news | last = Staff writer |title=UK election: shock as blue-blooded Kensington turns red |url=https://www.ft.com/content/fe31212e-4d2c-11e7-919a-1e14ce4af89b |work=Financial Times | date = 9 June 2017 |access-date=12 June 2017}}{{Cite news | last1 = Moshinsky |first1 = Ben | last2 = Millington | first2 = Alison | title = Labour wins Kensington by 20 votes |url= https://www.businessinsider.com/kensington-votes-labour-2017-6?r=UK&IR=T|work=Business Insider | date = 9 June 2017 |access-date=12 June 2017|language=en-GB}}

In the final result, Borwick lost the seat to the Labour candidate Emma Dent Coad on a 10.6% swing. The winner was declared nearly 24 hours after polls closed because three recounts were necessary. In her speech conceding defeat, she stated her intention to "start the fight back for Kensington and the Conservatives". However, her bid to be re-stand for the seat was derailed in the summer of 2019 when executive members of the local Conservative party ruled her out of the contest.{{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=Ex-Boris deputy loses her bid to stand again in Kensington|last=Murphy|first=Joe|date=2019-07-08|website=Evening Standard|language=en|access-date=2019-07-08}}

{{Infobox COA wide

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|notes = Lady Borwick's arms depict those of her husband marshalled with her paternal Poore arms on an escutcheon of pretence (as an heraldic heiress).

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|year_adopted = 1987

|crest = Not applicable for ladies

|torse =

|helm =

|escutcheon = On a lozenge (for Borwick), viz, Argent three Escarbuncles fesswise Sable between as many Bears' Heads erased of the Last muzzled Or and, in the centre an inescutcheon (for Poore), viz, Argent a Fess Azure between three Mullets Gules.

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Arms of the Poore baronets

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• Baron Borwick
• Poore baronets

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{Official website|http://victoriaborwick.london/ }}
• [http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/victoria-borwick/4502 Victoria Borwick] at the House of Commons.

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{{s-par|uk}}

{{s-bef|before=Malcolm Rifkind}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament
for Kensington|years=2015–2017}}

{{s-aft|after=Emma Dent Coad}}

{{s-end}}

{{DeputyLondonMayors}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Borwick, Victoria}}

Category:1956 births

Category:Living people

Category:People educated at Wispers School

Category:Politicians from London

Category:21st-century British women politicians

Category:UK MPs 2015–2017

Category:Women councillors in England

Category:Conservative Party (UK) councillors

Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies

Category:Councillors in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

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

Category:Conservative Members of the London Assembly

Category:London AMs 2008–2012

Category:London AMs 2012–2016