Louie French

Louie Thomas French[1] (born 14 February 1988)[2] is a British politician who has been the member of parliament (MP) for Old Bexley and Sidcup since the 2021 by-election. A member of the Conservative Party, he was a councillor on Bexley London Borough Council from 2014 until 2022. Prior to his parliamentary career, he worked as a lead portfolio manager for the financial planning and investment firm Tilney.

Louie French
MP
Official portrait, 2021
Member of Parliament
for Old Bexley and Sidcup
Assumed office
2 December 2021
Preceded byJames Brokenshire
Majority4,478 (20.6%)
Member of Bexley London Borough Council
for Falconwood & Welling
In office
23 May 2014 – 5 May 2022
Personal details
Born
Louie Thomas French

(1988-02-14) 14 February 1988
Greenwich, London, England
Political partyConservative
EducationBlackfen School for Girls
OccupationPolitician, former portfolio manager
Websitewww.louiefrench.org.uk

Early life and career

French was born in Greenwich, London, and grew up in Welling and Sidcup.[3] He attended Blackfen School for Girls, which has a mixed sixth form.[4]

He was elected as a Conservative councillor for the Falconwood and Welling ward in the 2014 Bexley Borough Council election and was re-elected in 2018.[5] Alongside his role as councillor, he was also a senior research analyst and later lead portfolio manager for sustainable portfolios and services for the financial planning and investment firm Tilney.[6]

Parliamentary career

French was selected as the Conservative candidate for the 2021 Old Bexley and Sidcup by-election on 30 October 2021[7] which was called after the death of the incumbent Conservative MP James Brokenshire from lung cancer on 7 October 2021.[8] The constituency is considered a safe Conservative seat and has been represented by a member of the party since its creation in 1983. French was elected with a majority of 4,478 (20.6%), reduced from 18,952 (41.0%) at the 2019 election. The turnout was low, at 33.5%.[9] He had previously contested the Eltham seat at the 2019 general election, in which he finished second to the incumbent Labour MP Clive Efford.[10]

French pledged to focus on increasing the number of police officers, investment in schools and hospitals, and protecting green spaces in the constituency.[11] He had also pledged to leave his job as a lead portfolio manager for Tilney if he was elected as MP which he reported doing so in his first week. During the campaign, he had initially said that he would continue at Tilney as MP but later ruled it out.[12] He was one of 99 Conservative MPs to vote against Covid passes in England in December 2021.[13]

French made his maiden speech on 18 January 2022, in which he paid tribute to Brokenshire.[14] He has been a member of the Public Accounts Committee since March 2022.[15] He endorsed Rishi Sunak in the July–September 2022 Conservative Party leadership election.[16]

References
  1. "Old Bexley and Sidcup by-election 2021: The candidates standing". BBC News. 22 November 2021. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  2. "Louie Thomas French". api.parliament.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
    - Bond, David (29 November 2021). "Old Bexley and Sidcup by-election: 'They feel sorry for me' ... the Tory battling for votes after sleaze". Evening Standard. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  3. "Louie French selected as candidate for Eltham". Greenwich Conservatives. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
    - "About Louie French". Louie French. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  4. Louie French [@louie_french] (16 June 2022). "Great to welcome students and teachers from one of my old schools @BlackfenSchool to Parliament today. Lots of excellent questions on my local campaigns to improve our area, including lobbying for further investment at Queen Mary's Hospital 🏥" (Tweet). Retrieved 16 June 2022 – via Twitter.
  5. "Councillor Louie French". Bexley London Borough Council. Archived from the original on 3 December 2021. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  6. "Register of interests". Bexley London Borough Council. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
    - "Louie French". The Law Society. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  7. Bryant, Miranda (30 October 2021). "Tories select councillor Louie French for Old Bexley and Sidcup byelection". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  8. Rawlinson, Kevin; Walker, Peter (8 October 2021). "Former Tory minister James Brokenshire dies aged 53". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  9. Allegretti, Aubrey; Bland, Archie (3 December 2021). "Old Bexley and Sidcup byelection: Tories retain true-blue seat". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
    - Craig, Jon (3 December 2021). "Old Bexley and Sidcup: Tories will be relieved over by-election result but 'sleaze' claims will make it much harder in North Shropshire". Sky News. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  10. Somerville, Ewan (13 December 2019). "Eltham constituency results 2019: Labour's Clive Efford wins". Evening Standard. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  11. "Old Bexley and Sidcup: Tories hold safe London seat at by-election". BBC News. 3 December 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  12. Mulligan, Euan (13 November 2021). "Johnson defends second jobs on Old Bexley and Sidcup visit". News Shopper. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
    - Mulligan, Euan (16 November 2021). "Tory candidate in Bexley election rules out second job". News Shopper. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
    - @louie_french (12 December 2021). "My first week in Parliament is over and I have already delivered some of my election promises: Resigned from my day job..." (Tweet). Retrieved 13 December 2021 – via Twitter.
  13. Calvert, Alana (15 December 2021). "Newest Tory MP Louie French rebels against pandemic restrictions". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  14. Uyal, Berk (19 January 2022). "Old Bexley and Sidcup MP Louie French pays tribute to James Brokenshire". News Shopper. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
    - "Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill [Lords]". Hansard. 18 January 2022. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  15. "Parliamentary career for Mr Louie French". UK Parliament. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  16. Uyal, Berk (12 July 2022). "Who the south London Tory MPs are backing for next Prime Minister". Richmond and Twickenham Times.


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