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Michael Fabricant

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Sir
Michael Fabricant
Official portrait, 2017
Lord Commissioner of the Treasury
In office
11 May 2010 – 4 September 2012
Prime MinisterDavid Cameron
Preceded byBob Blizzard
Succeeded byDesmond Swayne
Member of Parliament
forLichfield
Mid Staffordshire(1992–1997)
In office
9 April 1992 – 30 May 2024
Preceded bySylvia Heal
Succeeded byDave Robertson
Personal details
Born
Michael Louis David Fabricant

(1950-06-12)12 June 1950(age 74)
Brighton,Sussex,England
Political partyConservative
EducationBrighton, Hove and Sussex Grammar School
Alma materLoughborough University
University of Sussex
Websitewww.michael.fabricant.mp.co.ukEdit this at Wikidata

Sir Michael Louis David Fabricant(born 12 June 1950) is a British politician. A member of theConservative Party,he served as theMember of Parliament(MP) forLichfieldin Staffordshire, formerlyMid Staffordshire,from1992until his defeat in2024.[1]

Fabricant was the vice-chairman of the Conservative Party for parliamentary campaigning,[2]responsible for theConservative Campaign Headquartersstrategy onmarginal seatsat the2015 general election,as well asUK parliamentary by-elections.[3][4]In April 2014, he was dismissed from this position over comments he had made about his colleagueMaria Miller's resignation.

Early life and career

[edit]

Michael Louis David Fabricant[5]was born on 12 June 1950 inRottingdean,Brighton, into a Jewish family,[6][7]to Helena (née Freed; 1911–2004) and Rabbi Isaac Fabricant (1906–1989), rabbi of the Brighton and Hove Synagogue.[citation needed]

Fabricant attended Brighton Secondary Technical School and Brighton, Hove and Sussex Grammar School. He studied economics atLoughborough University,receiving aBachelor of Sciencedegree. He went on to study at theUniversity of Sussex,where he was awarded a master's degree inoperations researchin 1974, and undertook research at theUniversity of Oxford,University of London,and theUniversity of Southern Californiain economics andeconometrics.[8]

He was director and co-founder of an international broadcast manufacturing and management group for 11 years prior to his election to Parliament.[9]

Fabricant was theConservativecandidate inSouth Shieldsat the1987 general election,coming second with 25.7% of the vote behind the incumbentLabourMPDavid Clark.[10][11]Fabricant was appointed the chairman of theBrighton PavilionConservative Association in 1990 and remained chairman until his election to theHouse of Commons.

Parliamentary career

[edit]

Fabricant was elected to Parliament at the1992 general electionas MP forMid Staffordshirewith 49.7% of the vote and a majority of 6,236.[12][13]He made hismaiden speechon 2 July 1992.[14]

In Parliament, Fabricant joined the European LegislationSelect Committeein 1992, and served on it until the 1997 general election. He joined theNational HeritageSelect Committee in 1993 and was a member of that committee until his appointment as theParliamentary Private Secretaryto theFinancial Secretary to the TreasuryMichael Jackin 1996.

Prior to the1997 general election,Fabricant's constituency of Mid Staffordshire was abolished, and replaced withLichfield.At the election, Fabricant was elected as MP for Lichfield with 42.9% of the vote and a majority of 238.[15][16]

Following the Conservative defeat at the 1997 general election, Fabricant joined theCulture, Media and Sport Select Committeeuntil moving to theHome AffairsSelect Committee in 1999.

At the2001 general election,Fabricant was re-elected as MP for Lichfield with an increased vote share of 49.1% and an increased majority of 4,426.[17][18]

Fabricant rejoined the Culture, Media and Sport committee following the 2001 general election, and also at this time became the chairman of the Information Committee. He moved up to the oppositionfrontbenchas atrade and industryspokesman underMichael Howardin 2003. Later in the year he was moved to the post of spokesman oneconomic affairs.

Fabricant was again re-elected at the2005 general election,with a decreased vote share of 48.6% and an increased majority of 7,080.[19][20]

He became anopposition whipfollowing the 2005 general election and remained in the position following the appointment of new leaderDavid Cameron.In 2008, Fabricant foundedConservative Friends of America.[21]

Also in 2008, Fabricant took part in a series ofadjournment debateson government funding forinland waterways,[22]and called for heavy goods freight to move off Britain's roads and back onto the restored canal network.[23]

At the2010 general election,Fabricant was again re-elected, with an increased vote share of 54.4% and an increased majority of 17,683.[24][25][26]

In November 2012, Fabricant published a pamphlet entitled "The Pact", which called for a political pact betweenUKIPand the Conservative Party, in exchange for anIn/out EU referendum.[27]

Fabricant was sacked as vice-chairman of theConservative Partyin April 2014 after he tweeted "about time" with regard toMaria Miller's resignation as cabinet minister.[28]George Eatonof theNew Statesmanbelieved his sacking related to his threat to rebel over theHS2rail development and was necessary to deter other potential Conservative rebels on the same issue.[29]He opposes HS2 on the grounds of its financial and environmental cost.[28]

At the2015 general election,Fabricant was again re-elected, with an increased vote share of 55.2% and an increased majority of 18,189.[30]

In a 2016 debate, Fabricant yelled "bollocks" over a discussion of the impacts ofBrexit.[31]He was expressing disagreement with the former justice ministerJonathan Djanogly's statement that UK law firms could lose £1.7 billion in earnings if the UK were to leave theEuropean Union.In the 2016EU Referendumcampaign Fabricant said he would be voting to leave the EU. A staunch believer in free trade, he commented: "I think we are part of a global economy and that we will be far wealthier trading globally than the current situation".[32]

Fabricant was again re-elected at the snap2017 general electionwith an increased vote share of 63.6% and an increased majority of 18,581.[33]

Fabricant wrote inThe Guardianin November 2017 to rebut claims about him that had appeared on a Westminster dossier making assertions about the behaviour of Conservative MPs. He wrote that no one he had contacted, including lobby journalists and a former chief whip with an "elephantine memory", had previously heard the claim made against him of "inappropriate behaviour with a male journalist in a taxi".[34]

In theHouse of Commons,he sat on the Administration Committee and previously sat on the Committee of Selection, the Finance and Services Committee, the Liaison Committee (Commons), the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, the Home Affairs Committee and the National Heritage Committee.[35]

Fabricant attracted media attention for having an apartheid-era flag of South Africa on display on the mantelpiece of his parliamentary office. He responded that he had several flags on display from countries where his former company had clients in the 1980s. Asked in 2018 if he regretted working for what was effectively an arm of the apartheid state in South Africa, he replied: "There is so much we can all regret with hindsight" and said he did not condone what was going on at the time.[36]

At the2019 general election,Fabricant was again re-elected with an increased vote share of 64.5% and an increased majority of 23,638.[37]

On 12 April 2022, Fabricant urgedBoris Johnsonto apologise after he was fined for a breach of Covid rules. Fabricant said: "I don't think at any time he thought he was breaking the law. I think that at the time he just thought like many teachers and nurses who after a very long shift would tend to go back to the staff room and have a quiet drink".[38]The remark was criticised by official bodies representing teachers and nurses, who said they did no such thing, and Fabricant said he had not intended to cause offence.[39]

Fabricant endorsedPenny Mordauntduring theJuly–September 2022 Conservative Party leadership election.[40]He was knighted inJohnson's resignation honours.[41]

In March 2024, Fabricant was re-selected as the Conservative candidate for Lichfield at the2024 general election.[42]

Farbricant lost his seat in the2024 general election.

Use of social media

[edit]

In June 2014, Fabricant came under criticism when, following an exchange betweenYasmin Alibhai-BrownandRod LiddleonChannel 4 Newsthe evening before, he tweeted that he "could never appear" on a discussion programme with her, as he "would either end up with a brain haemorrhage or by punching her in the throat."[43]Gloria De Piero,thenShadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities,described the tweet as "utterly appalling"[44]while a Conservative Party spokesman commented that the MP's comment was "completely unacceptable".[45]Fabricant subsequently apologised,[44]but Alibhai-Brown thought his apology was "useless". A few days later, Fabricant wrote that he was "still deeply embarrassed and ashamed" and his tweet "appeared to have undone" his socially liberal voting record over the last 20 years.[46]

In August 2014, afterSayeeda Warsiresigned fromDavid Cameron's government over its policy towards Israel'sOperation Protective Edge,Fabricant was criticised for a Twitter remark that appeared to suggest Gaza was a "Muslim issue".[47]He subsequently clarified that he believed that Gaza was a humanitarian issue and that his comment about Warsi's "strong views on Muslim issues" was more general.[47]

In May 2018, Fabricant called a teenage constituent a 'complete twat' on Twitter after she had questioned his commitment to working in part of the constituency. Fabricant criticised the constituent for not being clearer in detailing who she was and stated that he thought the post came from a 'Russian troll'.[48][49][50]

In July 2018, Fabricant was accused of being Islamophobic over a subsequently-deleted tweet he shared depicting London mayorSadiq Khan,who is a Muslim, in a sex act with a pig. Some Labour MPs called for Fabricant's suspension and former Conservative Party chairman Sayeeda Warsi responded, describing Islamophobia in the Conservative party as "widespread". Fabricant said he had been distracted in a meeting when he sent it and did not spot what the image actually showed.[51]

In May 2021, Fabricant was accused byHope not Hateof racism, after he tweeted that pro-Palestinian protesters in London were "primitives" that are "trying to bring to London what they do in the Middle East". Fabricant subsequently deleted the tweet, stating that "attacks on the British police as shown in the video are disgraceful". The Conservative party was asked byThe Guardianfor comment but declined.[52]

In March 2022, Fabricant commented on social media that a proposed bill outlawingcyberflashingshould include an exemption for dating apps. This was criticised by local councillor Joanne Grange.[53]

In May 2022 Fabricant commented in relation to the arrest of an anonymous Conservative MP for rape, tweeting: "I am expecting a strong turnout of Conservative MPs at PMQs today, not only to demonstrate their strong support forBoris!BUT also to prove they are NOT the one told by the Chief Whip to stay at home. I'll be there! "The tweet was described by Labour Deputy LeaderAngela Rayneras "grotesque". Fabricant said: "No-one is making light of rape or assault. Far from it. But those who want to read something into a comment will contrive to do so whatever. They are professional offence takers." Fabricant deleted his original tweet just over two hours later.[54][55]

Media work

[edit]

The Final Cut,BBC

[edit]

Fabricant was political adviser to the 1995BBCdrama seriesThe Final Cutand made a cameo appearance in the broadcast.[56]

Celebrity First Dates,Channel 4

[edit]

DuringPrime Minister's Question Timeon 13 September 2017,the prime minister, Theresa May,said that Fabricant would be appearing on theChannel 4seriesCelebrityFirst Dates.She asked: "What I'm not sure about is whether my honourable friend is the celebrity or the first date".[57]Nearly two months later, at the beginning of November 2017, Fabricant came out asbisexualon the show.[58]

Personal life

[edit]

Fabricant lives in London and Lichfield.[59][60]He co-owns a holiday home inSnowdoniawith his partnerAndy Street,the former Mayor of the West Midlands.[61]Fabricant, who in December 2021 described Street as his 'life partner', isbisexual.[62]

In 2015 Fabricant was diagnosed withskin cancerandprostate cancer,undergoing aprostatectomyas treatment for the latter.[63]He spoke of his treatment for prostate cancer in the House of Commons the following year, highlighting the shortage of specialist prostate cancer nurses in theNational Health Service.Then Labour Party leaderJeremy Corbynresponded to Fabricant's illness by stating he hoped "the treatment he got is the same treatment everyone else got". Following criticism, Corbyn apologised for his remarks.[64]

Fabricant's blond hair has been the subject of speculation, with some people suggesting he wears a wig. He has stated his hair is a personal matter.[65]

Honours

[edit]

Fabricant was appointed aKnight Bacheloron 9 June 2023 as part of the2022 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours.[66][67]

References

[edit]
  1. ^"Lichfield Parliament Constituency".BBC News.Retrieved21 April2015.[dead link]
  2. ^"Michael Fabricant".parliament.uk.2013.Archivedfrom the original on 25 April 2013.Retrieved11 May2013.
  3. ^"Leak from Tories in Corby:" We have more pledges than Labour "".Political Scrapbook.14 November 2012.Archivedfrom the original on 16 June 2013.Retrieved11 May2013.
  4. ^Morris, Nigel (26 November 2012)."'It's war': Nigel Farage flatly rejects call from senior Tory for Ukip and Conservative EU pact at the general election ".The Independent.London:INM.ISSN0951-9467.OCLC185201487.Archivedfrom the original on 29 December 2012.Retrieved11 May2013.
  5. ^"Alphabetical List of Members".UK Parliament. 20 June 2001.Retrieved6 July2024.
  6. ^Elgot, Jessica."New Jewish ministers and the Miliband rivalry".The Jewish Chronicle.Archivedfrom the original on 22 September 2018.Retrieved3 June2010.
  7. ^"Michael Fabricant 🇬🇧🇺🇦🌻".Twitter.Retrieved22 June2022.
  8. ^"Michael Fabricant".michael.fabricant.mp.co.uk.2013.Archivedfrom the original on 14 May 2013.Retrieved11 May2013.
  9. ^"Michael Fabricant MP".West Midlands.Retrieved15 June2023.
  10. ^"Election Data 1987".Electoral Calculus.Archived fromthe originalon 15 October 2011.Retrieved18 October2015.
  11. ^"UK General Election results, June 1983 (part 18)".Richard Kimber's political science resources.Retrieved3 May2013.
  12. ^"Election Data 1992".Electoral Calculus.Archived fromthe originalon 15 October 2011.Retrieved28 June2017.
  13. ^"Politics Resources".Election 1992.Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived fromthe originalon 24 July 2011.Retrieved6 December2010.
  14. ^"Column 1009".Parliamentary Debates (Hansard).House of Commons. 2 July 1992. col. 1009–1011.Archivedfrom the original on 7 November 2017.Retrieved4 September2017.
  15. ^"Election Data 1997".Electoral Calculus.Archived fromthe originalon 15 October 2011.Retrieved18 October2015.
  16. ^"1997 - 1997 General Election - Lichfield".api.parliament.uk.Retrieved22 March2024.
  17. ^"Election Data 2001".Electoral Calculus.Archived fromthe originalon 15 October 2011.Retrieved18 October2015.
  18. ^"UK General Election results May 1997 and June 2001".Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources.Retrieved12 February2011.
  19. ^"Election Data 2005".Electoral Calculus.Archived fromthe originalon 15 October 2011.Retrieved18 October2015.
  20. ^"UK General Election results May 2005".Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources.Archived fromthe originalon 3 December 2013.Retrieved12 February2011.
  21. ^"About".Michael Fabricant.Retrieved14 July2020.
  22. ^"Adjournment debate on future of canals".Boating Business.Retrieved28 October2008.[dead link]
  23. ^"Canals better for freight says MP".Lichfield Mercury.26 November 2008.Retrieved27 November2008.[permanent dead link]
  24. ^"Election Data 2010".Electoral Calculus.Archived fromthe originalon 26 July 2013.Retrieved17 October2015.
  25. ^"UK General Election results May 2010".Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources.Archived fromthe originalon 2 May 2015.Retrieved12 February2011.
  26. ^"BBC News - Election 2010 - Constituency - Lichfield".news.bbc.co.uk.
  27. ^"Tories should consider UKIP pact, Michael Fabricant urges".BBC News.26 November 2012.Archivedfrom the original on 6 November 2018.Retrieved20 June2018.
  28. ^abOliver Wright"Michael Fabricant: Llamas, incest, bestiality, and the demise of the Tories' Deputy Chairman"Archived25 September 2015 at theWayback Machine,The Independent,11 April 2014
  29. ^George Eaton"Michael Fabricant sacked as Tory vice chairman"Archived26 August 2014 at theWayback Machine,New Statesman,9 April 2014
  30. ^"Election Data 2015".Electoral Calculus.Archived fromthe originalon 17 October 2015.Retrieved17 October2015.
  31. ^"Tory MP Michael Fabricant Says Sorry For Shouting 'B******s' In Parliament".Huffington Post. 8 March 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 25 October 2016.
  32. ^"In or out? Where does your MP stand on the EU debate?".www.expressandstar.com.23 February 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 10 January 2018.Retrieved21 March2018.
  33. ^"Lichfield Parliamentary constituency".BBC News.BBC.Retrieved30 November2019.
  34. ^Fabricant, Michael (1 November 2017)."I'm wrongly on the sexual abuse list. Parliament needs proper oversight".The Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on 1 November 2017.Retrieved1 November2017.
  35. ^"Marcus Jones".Parliament UK.Archivedfrom the original on 13 July 2018.Retrieved9 August2018.
  36. ^"FactCheck: Michael Fabricant's apartheid flag".Channel 4 News.13 July 2018.Archivedfrom the original on 9 August 2018.Retrieved9 August2018.
  37. ^"Lichfield Parliamentary constituency".BBC News.BBC.Retrieved30 November2019.
  38. ^BBC Politics [@BBCPolitics] (12 April 2022).""I don't think at any time he thought he was breaking the law... he thought just like many teachers and nurses who after a very long shift would go back to the staff room and have a quiet drink" Tory MP Michael Fabricant urges Boris Johnson to apologise https://t.co/3ZREVQ9bOB https://t.co/8CYpjeHbbA "(Tweet).Archivedfrom the original on 16 April 2022.Retrieved17 April2022– viaTwitter.
  39. ^PA Media(30 April 2022)."Michael Fabricant sorry for saying teachers and nurses had lockdown drinks".The Guardian.Retrieved30 April2022.
  40. ^Madeley, Peter (12 July 2022)."Tory leadership race: Early favourite among region's MPs as nominations deadline looms".Express & Star.Retrieved12 July2022.
  41. ^"Resignation Honours 2023".GOV.UK.Retrieved9 June2023.
  42. ^"Decision by Conservatives to re-select Lichfield MP branded" truly baffling "by Lib Dems".Lichfield Live. 21 April 2023.Retrieved11 March2024.
  43. ^Heather Saul"Michael Fabricant blasted for tweet saying he would 'punch Yasmin Alibhai-Brown in the throat'"Archived25 September 2015 at theWayback Machine,The Independent,20 June 2014
  44. ^abAlexandra Topping, et al"Tory MP Michael Fabricant apologises for tweet saying he might punch female journalist"Archived8 July 2016 at theWayback Machine,The Guardian,20 June 2014
  45. ^"MP Michael Fabricant apologises for 'punch journalist' joke".BBC News.20 June 2014. Archived fromthe originalon 15 December 2018.
  46. ^Michael Fabricant"Yasmin Alibhai-Brown and the punch that never was"Archived25 June 2014 at theWayback Machine,The Spectator(blog), 23 June 2014
  47. ^ab"Baroness Warsi resignation -Twitter-backlash as Tory MP Michael Fabricant accused of suggesting Gaza is a Muslim issue".The Independent.London.Archivedfrom the original on 25 September 2015.Retrieved4 September2017.
  48. ^Fabricant, Michael [@Mike_Fabricant](4 May 2018)."Says a complete twat who seems unaware that there is no vote this year in Burntwood! And I neglect no part of my lovely constituency. That's why I'm loved!! https://t.co/FyIqEmmRPy"(Tweet).Archivedfrom the original on 13 April 2022.Retrieved17 April2022– viaTwitter.
  49. ^"Teen calls for apology over MP's tweet".BBC News.5 May 2018.Archivedfrom the original on 6 May 2018.Retrieved6 May2018.
  50. ^"Lichfield and Burntwood MP Michael Fabricant criticised for" disgusting "social media response to teenager".Lichfield Live.5 May 2018.Archivedfrom the original on 5 May 2018.Retrieved6 May2018.
  51. ^"Tory MP Michel Fabricant accused of Islamophobia over Sadiq Khan tweet".BBC News.13 July 2018.Archivedfrom the original on 1 February 2019.Retrieved4 February2019.
  52. ^"Conservative MP condemned for 'racist' tweet about Israel protests".The Guardian.16 May 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 16 May 2021.Retrieved17 May2021.
  53. ^"Lichfield MP's call for dating app exemption to cyber flashing law criticised by local councillor".Lichfield Live.16 March 2022.Retrieved26 October2022.
  54. ^"Michael Fabricant condemned for 'shameful' joke about Tory MP accused of rape".The Independent.18 May 2022.Retrieved18 May2022.
  55. ^"Tory MP Michael Fabricant condemned over 'grotesque' tweet".BBC News.18 May 2022.Retrieved18 May2022.
  56. ^"Michael Fabricant".BFI.Archived fromthe originalon 4 April 2023.Retrieved13 September2020.
  57. ^"Michael Fabricant to makeCelebrity First Datesappearance ".BBC News.13 September 2017.Archivedfrom the original on 16 September 2017.Retrieved13 September2017.
  58. ^McCann, Kate (13 September 2017)."PM jokes about Michael Fabricant's new-found fame as Tory MP confirms he will star in celebrity dating show".The Daily Telegraph.Archivedfrom the original on 21 February 2018.Retrieved3 April2018.
  59. ^"IPSA record".IPSA.Archivedfrom the original on 26 September 2018.Retrieved9 August2018.
  60. ^"MPs' expenses: minister's home is from a great stately estate".The Daily Telegraph.19 November 2012.Archivedfrom the original on 9 August 2018.Retrieved9 August2018.
  61. ^Walker, Jonathan (22 January 2017)."West Midlands mayor candidate says his mum warned him against standing".Birmingham Mail.Archivedfrom the original on 7 November 2017.Retrieved6 May2021.
  62. ^Bunn, George (30 December 2021)."Staffordshire MP opens up about sexuality and relationship with 'life partner'".Staffordshire Live.Retrieved4 August2022.
  63. ^"Lichfield MP reveals he has been treated for early signs of prostate cancer".lichfieldlive.co.uk.12 October 2016.
  64. ^Prime Ministers Questions: Michael Fabricant applauded in Commons after praising his 'wonderful' NHS prostate treatment.12 October 2016.{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help)
  65. ^"Tory MP Michael Fabricant hits back over 'wig jibe'".BBC News.23 January 2019.Retrieved15 June2023.
  66. ^"Resignation Honours 2023"(PDF).GOV.UK.9 June 2023.Retrieved9 June2023.
  67. ^"No. 64120".The London Gazette(Supplement). 21 July 2023. p. 14502.
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
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