Louie French | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2021 | |
| Shadow Minister for Culture, Media and Sport | |
| Assumed office 19 July 2024 | |
| Leader | Rishi Sunak Kemi Badenoch |
| Preceded by | Stephanie Peacock |
| Member of Parliament forOld Bexley and Sidcup | |
| Assumed office 2 December 2021 | |
| Preceded by | James Brokenshire |
| Majority | 3,548 (7.4%) |
| Member ofBexley 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 (age 37) |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Education | Blackfen School for Girls |
| Occupation | Politician, former portfolio manager |
| Website | www |
Louie Thomas French[1] (born 14 February 1988)[2] is a BritishConservative Party politician who has been theMember of Parliament (MP) forOld Bexley and Sidcup since the2021 by-election. He was a councillor onBexley 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 firmTilney. He has been Shadow Minister for Culture, Media and Sport since July 2024.[3]
Louie French was born on 14 February 1988 inGreenwich, and grew up inWelling andSidcup.[4] He attendedBlackfen School for Girls, which has a mixed sixth form.[5]
He was elected as a Conservative councillor for theFalconwood andWelling ward in the2014 Bexley Borough Council election and was re-elected in2018.[6] 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 firmTilney.[7]
At the2019 general election, French stood as theConservative candidate inEltham, coming second with 39.7% of the vote behind the incumbentLabour MPClive Efford.[8][9]
French was selected as the Conservative candidate for the2021 Old Bexley and Sidcup by-election on 30 October 2021[10] which was called following the death of the incumbent Conservative MPJames Brokenshire from lung cancer on 7 October 2021.[11] French was elected to Parliament as MP forOld Bexley and Sidcup with 51.5% of the vote and a majority of 4,478.[12]
French pledged to focus on increasing the number of police officers, investment in schools and hospitals, and protecting green spaces in the constituency.[13] 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.[14]
He was one of 99 Conservative MPs to vote againstCOVID passes in England in December 2021.[15]
French made his maiden speech on 18 January 2022, in which he paid tribute to James Brokenshire.[16] He has been a member of thePublic Accounts Committee since March 2022.[17] He endorsedRishi Sunak in theJuly–September 2022 Conservative Party leadership election.[18]
At the2024 general election, French was re-elected as MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup with a decreased vote share of 37.6% and a decreased majority of 3,548.[19]
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forOld Bexley and Sidcup 2021–present | Incumbent |
