Andrew MacKay

Andrew James MacKay (born 27 August 1949, Birmingham) is a British Conservative Party politician, and currently the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bracknell in Berkshire.

Early life

He attended Solihull School, an independent school in Solihull, West Midlands. He has worked as an estate agent and company director.

Parliamentary career

Mackay first entered parliament in 1977, after winning the Birmingham Stechford by-election. He lost the seat at the 1979 general election, but re-entered parliament in 1983 as MP for East Berkshire.

He was deputy Chief Whip under John Major, and was shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from 1997 to September 2001 during the leadership of William Hague. He has remained on the backbenches since but was appointed a Conservative Deputy Chairman in September 2004 with responsibility for candidates, and upon the election of David Cameron in November 2005 moved to become a Senior Parliamentary & Political Adviser to the new Conservative leader.

Personal life

He has two adult children from a previous relationship: Hamish and Georgina. He divorced in 1996, after being married in 1974 to Diana Joy Kinchin. In August 1997 he married Julie Kirkbride, the Conservative MP for the constituency of Bromsgrove, in Westminster. The couple have a son Angus Robert (born October 2000).

Political career

External links

• Andrew MacKay MP official site
• ePolitix.com - Andrew MacKay MP
• Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Andrew MacKay MP
• TheyWorkForYou.com - Andrew MacKay MP
• The Public Whip - Andrew MacKay MP voting record
• BBC News - Andrew MacKay MP BBC profile

Audio clips

• Shadow Northern Ireland minister in 1999
• Decommissioning of weapons in 2001