Steve Brine

Steve Brine MP
Member of Parliament for Winchester
Incumbent
Assumed office 6 May 2010
Preceded by	Mark Oaten
Majority	16,914 (30.6%)[1]
Personal details
Born	(1974-01-28) 28 January 1974[2] Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
Political party	Conservative
Alma mater	Liverpool Hope University
Website	Official Website parliament..steve-brine

Stephen Charles Brine^[3] (born 28 January 1974) is a British Conservative Party politician and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Winchester. In the 2010 general election, he had a majority of 3,048 (5.4%) over the Liberal Democrat candidate Martin Tod.^[4] He was re-elected to the House of Commons in the 2015 general election with an increased majority of 16,914 (30.6%).^[1]

Early life

Brine was educated at Bohunt School, Highbury College and Liverpool Hope University where he read History. He served a sabbatical year as President of the Students' Union.^[5]

While in Liverpool he created a new company called Liverpool Student Media. In his youth, Brine also joined Friends of the Earth, which he cited as one of the reasons which drove him into politics.

Professional career

Brine worked as a radio journalist, and when 18 years old was one of the BBC's youngest reporters and producers on BBC Local Radio, before working with BBC Radio Surrey and BBC Southern Counties Radio as well as contributing as a freelance reporter to Radio Five Live.^[5] Brine also spent a year working in Chicago with the Tribune Media Group's WGN Radio.^[5]

He also worked as a business development consultant, and for a golf marketing and publishing business.^[5]

Political career

Brine assisted Conservative Central Office when William Hague was leader of the party and again during the 2005–10 Parliament when he worked with Conservative MPs and Parliamentary Candidates across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Formerly the party's area campaign director for Hampshire, Steve was selected in November 2006 for Winchester, where he has served a deputy chairman (political) of the local Conservative association.^[6]

On 5 February 2013, Brine opposed the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill, which aimed to introduce same-sex marriage in England and Wales, asking a question of Rt Hon Tim Loughton positing that the progressive outcome would be to meet the perception that "civil partnerships are somehow not enough...without redefining marriage and mortally offending so many of my—and I am sure his—constituents?".^[7]

Speaking to a local newspaper about his vote, Brine said: “"This was a free vote as matters of conscience traditionally are. As I said in Parliament, if there is a feeling out there that civil partnerships, which I strongly support, are now somehow not enough the coalition should have produced a green paper to explore options for change. That could have been done in a collegiate way instead of a non-consultation last year leading to a rushed Bill that has horribly divided the entire country and the Government.

"That said, I have received more contact from constituents on this, mostly opposed to the Bill for what it's worth, than any other subject in almost three years and many said to me the coalition should not be spending any time on this and has no mandate for such a major constitutional change. I will be following the Bill extremely closely as it moves into committee."^[8]

In 2013, Brine was made a PPS (Parliamentary Private Secretary) to Mike Penning, Minister of State at the Department for Work & Pensions and Minister for Disabled People. As a result, he worked closely with colleagues including Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative) and Steve Webb (Liberal Democrat) as the coalition government sought to tackle many problems with welfare and pensions issues.^[9]

In July 2014, Brine followed Mr Penning to a new Government role, within the Home Office and Ministry of Justice.^[10] This followed a number of years spent on the House of Commons Justice Select Committee, chaired by veteran Liberal Democrat MP Sir Alan Beith, where much of Mr Brine's work was centred on rehabilitation. As part of this, Brine took part in a Reducing Reoffending conference which was held in Winchester in early 2014^[11]

In May 2015, Brine was made Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Health.^[12]

Brine was opposed to "Brexit" prior to the 2016 referendum on the UK's membership of the EU.^[13]

Personal life

Brine is a supporter of Tottenham Hotspur, his sports include skiing, tennis, golf and boules and enjoys live music such as at The Glastonbury Festival. Brine is married with two children, and his dog, Popcorn.

References

External links

• Official website
• Profile at the Conservative Party website

• Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom
• Voting record at Public Whip
• Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou