Quick Facts
Biography
Michael Alex Burghart (born 1977) is the Conservative Member of parliament for Brentwood and Ongar, first elected in the 2017 General Election. Burghart was formerly a teacher, university lecturer and special adviser to the Prime Minister, Theresa May.
Early life
Michael Alex Burghart was born in Dorset in 1977, the son of two state-school teachers. He attended Millfield School in Somerset, having gained a scholarship to the school. Burghart read History at Christ Church, Oxford. He has a PhD in History.
Career
Academic
After university, Burghart taught history at Warwick School before becoming a history tutor at King's College, London. In 2005 he was the lead researcher for the King's College, London project on interrogating Anglo-Saxon charters using digital technologies.
Policy Adviser
Burghart became a political and policy adviser to Tim Loughton MP, then Shadow Minister for Children and Young People in 2008. He moved on to the Department for Education, where he worked on the Munro Review of Child Protection
After working for Barnardo's as a Policy and Parliamentary Adviser., in 2012 Berghart became Director of Policy, Centre for Social Justice
In February 2016 Burghart was appointed Director of Strategy and Advocacy for the Children's Commissioner for England, Anne Longfield. Later that year he became part of Prime Minister Theresa May's policy team.
Politics
Burghart stood against Jeremy Corbyn in Islington North in 2015. He told the Islington Gazette that, if elected, the first thing he would do would be,"Dance a jig (and try to resuscitate Jeremy Corbyn)". Although he was not elected, Burghart increased the Conservative share of the vote from 14.2% to 17.2%.
He was selected for the Brentwood and Ongar seat under by-election rules on 28 April 2017 following the decision by the Rt. Hon. Sir Eric Pickles to stand down at the 2017 General Election.
Writing
Burghart is the author of 'A Better Start in Life: Long-term approaches for the most vulnerable children', published by Policy Exchange in 2013. Burghart has written extensively about early medieval England, writing for The Times Literary Supplement for over 12 years, the Spectator and BBC History.
Personal life
Since being selected as the Conservative candidate for Brentwood and Ongar, Burghart has moved to Brentwood. He is married to Hermione Eyre and has two children.
Burghart has sat on the Board of the Yarlington Housing Group and is Vice Chair of Governors at Queensmill School for children with autism.