Desmond Swayne

Early life and career

Swayne was educated at Drumley House Preparatory School at Mossblown in South Ayrshire and Bedford School. He studied Theology at St Marys College at the University of St Andrews.

From 1980 to 1981, Swayne was a school teacher in Economics at Charterhouse, then Wrekin College from 1982 to 1987. From 1988 to 1996, he was Manager of Risk Management Systems at the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Military career

Swayne was commissioned into Group B of the Territorial Army (TA) on 3 October 1984 as a second lieutenant (on probation). As a non-deployable officer, he served as an adult staff member of the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) contingent of Wrekin College, where he was also a teacher. His commission was confirmed and he was promoted to lieutenant on 10 December 1984. On 15 September 1987, he resigned his commission in the CCF, having joined the TA properly in August of that year.

On 2 August 1987, he transferred from Group B to the Royal Armoured Corps, Territorial Army in the rank of second lieutenant (on probation). He served with the Queen's Own Mercian Yeomanry. He was promoted to lieutenant on 2 August 1989, and to captain on 1 August 1992. On 1 November 1992, he transferred to the newly formed Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry. He was promoted to major on 14 December 1996 with seniority from 1 January 1996.

In 2003, he was called up and posted to Iraq as part of the Iraq War. He served for six months before returning to the House of Commons.

Parliamentary career

Swayne contested Pontypridd in 1987 and West Bromwich West in 1992 (where he failed to defeat the Labour incumbent Betty Boothroyd, before being elected to his present seat in 1997. He held the seat to serve his fourth consecutive term in the 2010 general election.

From 1997 to 2001, he held shadow ministerial portfolios for Northern Ireland, health and defence and as a senior opposition whip. From 2001 to 2005, Swayne was Parliamentary Private Secretary to both Iain Duncan Smith and Michael Howard in their role as Leader of the Opposition.

Following the election of David Cameron as leader of the Conservative Party in December 2005, he was appointed as his PPS. This position involved being the eyes and ears of Cameron in the House of Commons and reporting back on observations and requests from colleagues. In 2006, a series of Swayne's e-mails to Cameron with unflattering descriptions of fellow Conservatives were leaked to the media:

He maintained his role as a PPS in government. On 11 June 2011, it was announced Swayne would be appointed a Privy Counsellor in the Queen's 2011 Birthday Honours List. On 13 July 2011, Swayne was duly sworn of Council. In 2014, he was appointed as a minister for international development.

Swayne voted for Brexiter Andrea Leadsom in the Conservative Party Leadership Election of 2016. In addition to his salary as an MP, Swayne earns £12,000 a year as a director of property development firm Lewis Charles Sofia Property Fund, which predominantly specialises in holiday developments in Bulgaria; and around £5,000 in his role as a major in the Army Reserve.

Parliamentary expenses scandal

As a result of the expenses scandal, Swayne repaid £6,131 he claimed for a new kitchen in 2006 on his second-home flat in North Kensington, and £60.66 over claimed for a water bill. Swayne employs his wife Moira as part-time Executive Secretary/Office Manager. Swayne provided a full breakdown of his expenses on his website, and was found by local media in New Forest/South Dorset to be the lowest claiming of the local MP expenses' league table, after claiming £94,754 expenses in 2007/08, compared with £91,737 in 2006/07.

Personal life

Swayne married Moira Cecily Teek in August 1987 in Buckinghamshire. They have a son Albert (born July 1989) and two daughters (born 23 June 1991 and March 1997); the family live in Burley, Hampshire.

Honours and decorations

Swayne is a recipient of the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal, the Iraq Medal, and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal. He has also received the Territorial Decoration for 12 years service in the Territorial Army. In June 2009, he was awarded the Volunteer Reserves Service Medal.

Swayne was knighted in the 2016 Birthday Honours for political and parliamentary service.