Alicia Alexandra Martha Kearns[1](born 11 November 1987)[2]is a BritishConservative Partypolitician who has been theMember of Parliament(MP) forRutland and Stamford,previouslyRutland and Melton,since 2019 and Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs since July 2024.[3]She identifies ideologically as aone-nation conservative.[4]
Alicia Kearns | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Shadow Minister for Home Affairs | |
| Assumed office November 2024 | |
| Leader | Kemi Badenoch |
| Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 19 July 2024 – 2 November 2024 | |
| Leader | Rishi Sunak |
| Chair of theForeign Affairs Select Committee | |
| In office 12 October 2022 – 30 May 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Tom Tugendhat |
| Succeeded by | Emily Thornberry |
| Member of Parliament forRutland and Stamford Rutland and Melton(2019–2024) | |
| Assumed office 12 December 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Alan Duncan |
| Majority | 10,394 (21.4%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Alicia Alexandra Martha Kearns 11 November 1987 England |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge(BA) |
| Website | Official website |
In October 2022, Kearns was elected Chair of theForeign Affairs Select Committee.She is the first woman to ever be elected to the role, and the youngest ever female Chair of a Select Committee.
Early life and career
editAlicia Kearns was born on 11 November 1987 and grew up inCambridgeshire,where she attended a comprehensive school,Impington Village College.[5]During her teenage years, she was a member of theUK Youth Parliamentand an activist forAmnesty International.[6]She studiedsocial and political sciencesatFitzwilliam College, Cambridge,graduating in 2009.[5]During university, she participated in student theatre productions.[7]
Kearns has worked in communication roles at theMinistry of Defence(MOD),Ministry of Justice(MoJ), and theForeign and Commonwealth Office(FCO). She was the lead press officer for the MOD's contribution to the2014 Scottish independence referendumcampaign. She led the government's communication campaigns in Syria and Iraq for the FCO.[8]At the FCO she was responsible for advising governments on strategies to defeatDaesh(ISIS), insurgent groups, and to counter Russian disinformation in Syria. She attended the UN-led peace talks on Syria and was deployed in Iraq, Kuwait and Ukraine.[9]At the MoJ, she worked as the Victims' Minister's press secretary.
Kearns became the client services director for the strategic communications consultancy Global Influence in 2016.[8][10]She later became an independent consultant.[11]Her private sector duties involved designing and directing "counter violent extremism, counter disinformation, hybrid warfare and behaviour change programmes for Governments, militaries, and NGOs to build stronger and safer communities".[12]
Immediately prior to her election to parliament, Kearns was directingcounter-terrorism,counterdisinformationandhybrid warfareinterventions inLebanon,Moroccoand theWestern Balkans.[9]
Kearns stood for election at the2017 general electionin the safeLabourseat ofMitcham and Morden.She came second behind the incumbent Labour MPSiobhain McDonaghwith 24.2% of the vote.[13][14][15]
Kearns was also in the final shortlist in the same election for the safe Conservative seat ofChelmsfordbut lost the selection to then-MEPVicky Ford.[16]
Parliamentary career
edit
Kearns was selected as the Conservative candidate forRutland and Meltonon 8 November 2019.[17]It is a notionallysafeConservative seat, having been represented by a member of the party since the constituency's creation in 1983.[18]She was elected at the2019 general electionwith a majority of 26,924 and 62.6% of the vote.[19]
Kearns is a supporter oftransgender rightsand in August 2020 co-authored an article inConservativeHomewith fellow MPNicola Richardswhich called on the government to reform theGender Recognition Act 2004.[20][21]
Some newspapers and broadcasters alleged that Kearns was part of an attempt by Conservative MPs elected in the2019 general electionto oust then Prime MinisterBoris JohnsonoverPartygatein January 2022.[22][23]She said that she met with concerned MPs, but denied leading a rebellion against Johnson, stating that "I make no apology for meeting with my colleagues, but it was not a coup or any such activity despite the mischief of the media or certain actors who might wish to suggest otherwise."[24]
Kearns has been a member of theForeign Affairs Select Committeesince March 2020.[25]She is also on the steering committee of the China Research Group.[26]On 12 October 2022, she was elected as the first female Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, replacingTom Tugendhat.[27]As a chair of a select committee she is also a member of theLiaison Committee.[28]
In July 2023, Kearns claimed in parliament that weapons were being smuggled fromSerbiatoKosovoin ambulances and then being stored inSerbian Orthodox Churches.[29]NATO's peacekeeping mission in Kosovo,KFOR,said it has no evidence for the smuggling claims.[30]The British Ambassador to Kosovo, Nicholas Abbott, said the British government had no evidence to support Kearns' allegation.[31]
Due to the2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies,Kearns' constituency of Rutland and Melton was abolished, and replaced withRutland and Stamford.At the2024 general election,Kearns was elected to Parliament as MP for Rutland and Stamford with 43.7% of the vote and a majority of 10,394.[32]
Kearns has been a staunch opponent of the 4.2 mile (6.76km) Mallard Pass Solar Farm, which straddles Lincolnshire and Rutland, and aims to provide renewable energy to 92,000 homes.[33][34]
In July 2024, Kearns was one of five politicians to cover forJames O'Brien's radio show onLBC,as part of the station's "Guest Week".[35]
Personal life
editKearns lives in the village ofLanghaminRutlandwith her husband. The couple have a son and a daughter.[5][36][37]
References
edit- ^"Members Sworn".parliament.uk. 18 December 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 19 December 2019.Retrieved9 January2020.
- ^Brunskill, Ian (19 March 2020).The Times guide to the House of Commons 2019: the definitive record of Britain's historic 2019 General Election.HarperCollins Publishers Limited. p. 318.ISBN978-0-00-839258-1.OCLC1129682574.
- ^"Conservative Party announces interim Opposition Front Bench".policymogul.com.Retrieved25 July2024.
- ^Kearns, Alicia.""Happily cracking on being a One Nation Conservative, and I agree on foreign policy, I do know my stuff"".X.Retrieved10 January2024.
- ^abc"Tories and Labour chose contenders to be next Melton MP".Melton Times.9 November 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 18 December 2019.Retrieved9 January2020.
- ^"Here's looking at you, kids".The Guardian.27 November 2004.Archivedfrom the original on 26 February 2019.Retrieved9 January2020.
- ^"Alicia Kearns".Camdram.Retrieved8 January2020.
- ^ab"FCO's Alicia Kearns joins Global Influence".Gorkana. 24 August 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 3 December 2019.Retrieved9 January2020.
- ^abCoupe, Kerry (8 November 2019)."Counter terrorism expert selected as Conservative Party's candidate for Rutland and Melton in a bid to succeed Sir Alan Duncan".Stamford Mercury.Retrieved23 September2023.
- ^"Alicia Kearns".DefenceIQ. 2 March 2017.Retrieved8 January2020.
- ^Bjola, Corneliu; Pamment, James (7 December 2018).Countering Online Propaganda and Extremism: The Dark Side of Digital Diplomacy.Taylor & Francis. p. 19.ISBN978-1-351-26406-8.
- ^Ramsay, Adam; Molloy, Caroline; Cave, Tamasin (21 December 2019)."Revealed: A fifth of new Tory MPs have worked as lobbyists".openDemocracy.Retrieved23 September2023.
- ^"Merton Council Statement of Persons Nominated Mitcham and Morden General Election 2017"(PDF).Merton Council.Retrieved13 April2017.[permanent dead link]
- ^"Mitcham & Morden parliamentary constituency".BBC News.
- ^"General Election 2017: results and analysis"(PDF).researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk.Retrieved10 February2024.
- ^"Lee Scott back for Ilford North. Vicky Ford in final Chelmsford three. Tatton finalists named. The latest candidate selections and shortlists".Conservative Home.24 April 2017.
- ^"Counter terrorism expert Alicia Kearns selected as Conservative Party's prospective parliamentary candidate for Rutland and Melton in a bid to succeed Sir Alan Duncan – Andy Thomas selected for Labour".Rutland and Stamford Mercury.8 November 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 12 December 2019.Retrieved12 December2019.
- ^"Rutland and Melton".UK Polling Report.Archivedfrom the original on 30 June 2019.Retrieved8 January2020.
- ^"Rutland and Melton".BBC News.Archivedfrom the original on 11 April 2019.Retrieved8 January2020.
- ^Richards, Nicola; Kearns, Alicia (27 August 2020)."Conservatives believe in freedom and choice. That's why we should reform the Gender Recognition Act".Conservative Home.Retrieved28 August2020.
- ^Maguire, Patrick (28 August 2020)."New Tory MPs demand reform to Gender Recognition Act".The Times.(subscription required)
- ^Kuenssberg, Laura (18 January 2022)."Downing Street party: Is 'pork pie plot' a serious threat to the PM?".BBC News.
- ^"How Melton Mowbray entered the spotlight in 'pork pie plot' amid calls for Boris Johnson to resign".ITV News.19 January 2022.
- ^Rennie, Nick (26 January 2022)."Melton MP breaks her silence over so-called 'Pork Pie Plot' against Boris Johnson".Melton Times.Retrieved7 April2022.
- ^"Foreign Affairs Committee Committee membership agreed".parliament.uk. 2 March 2020.Retrieved2 March2020.
- ^Payne, Sebastian (25 April 2020)."Senior Tories launch ERG-style group to shape policy on China".Financial Times.Retrieved24 June2020.
- ^"Alicia Kearns elected as chair of Foreign Affairs Committee".BBC News.12 October 2022.
- ^"Parliamentary career for Alicia Kearns".UK Parliament.Retrieved5 February2023.
- ^Santolo, Alessandra Scotto di (10 July 2023)."Tory MP targeted by Serbia over smuggling claims as tensions with Kosovo rise".Express.co.uk.Retrieved23 September2023.
- ^"KFOR Denies Weapons are Smuggled in Ambulances Into North Kosovo".Balkan Insight.5 July 2023.Retrieved23 September2023.
- ^"A lot of what I've seen in the north reminds me of Northern Ireland, that's why the dialogue is important".KoSSev.Retrieved23 September2023.
- ^"General election results for Rutland and Stamford | Rutland County Council".www.rutland.gov.uk.4 July 2024.Retrieved12 August2024.
- ^"Mallard Pass: Plans for UK's biggest solar farm face review".www.bbc.com.Retrieved12 July2024.
- ^Payne, Evie (5 March 2024)."Local MP submits Parliamentary Petition against Rutland solar farm signed by over 3,000".Oakham Nub News.
- ^"Five guest presenters to cover for James O'Brien on LBC".Radio Today.22 July 2024.Retrieved24 July2024.
- ^Rennie, Nick."'My silent victories will define me' – Melton MP makes maiden parlimentary speech ".Melton Times.Retrieved14 January2020.
- ^Howie, Michael (29 December 2021)."Tory MP Alicia Kearns says babies have 'no place' in the Commons chamber".Evening Standard.London.Retrieved10 November2022.
External links
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