totted up

Brian Binley

Brian Arthur Roland Binley (born 1 May 1942) is a British politician, and is the Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Northampton South.

Early life

Educated at Finedon Mulso Secondary Modern School on Wellingborough Road (now a junior school), Brian Binley joined the Conservative Party in 1959. He was an organiser with the National Young Conservatives from 1965 to 1968. He has been the chairman of BCC Marketing Services Ltd, , the company he founded since 1988 which is based in Wellingborough. He co-founded Beechwood House Publishing Company Ltd, which was sold to the Wilmington Publishing Group in 2000.

Parliamentary career

Binley was the parliamentary agent for the Wyre Forest Conservative Association during the 1997 General election campaign. He was elected to Northamptonshire County Council in 1997, where he was a Cabinet Member. He was selected to contest the Labour-held parliamentary marginal seat of Northampton South, and defeated the sitting Labour MP Tony Clarke at the 2005 general election by over 4,000 votes. Binley made his maiden speech on 25 May 2005. He is also a Northamptonshire County councillor for Hackleton ward.

In 2007, Tony Clarke was later dropped as a Labour candidate at a Northampton Borough Council election. He was then expelled from the Labour Party when he stood against the official Labour candidate as an independent, and won. He has since announced plans to fight the official Labour candidate for the parliamentary seat of Northampton South at the next General Election which will probably be in 2010. This will probably split the Labour vote and ensure that Mr Binley, if he restands, is returned with an even larger majority (see entry for Tony Clarke).

Personal life

He and his wife Jacquie have lived in the constituency for over 20 years, and have two grown sons. In 2006, he became the victim of identity theft, when someone tried to divert his bank statements and unsuccessfully attempted to steal £9,000 from him whilst he was in India. The perpetrator wrote to Binley boasting of his exploits .

He received a six month driving ban in May 2007 having totted up 12 points on his licence when caught doing 37mph in a 30mph zone in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. With nine points already, he was given three more and a ban by Towcester magistrates.

He is also a Freemason.