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Steve Barclay lives in the constituency with his wife Karen. He works in financial crime prevention, where his role is to help prevent money laundering by criminal gangs and those supporting terrorist activity.
Family
Steve was born in 1972 in Lytham, Lancashire. He comes from a modest upbringing and family life revolved around Fylde Rugby Club, where he played for all the teams in the Club over the years alongside his two older brothers. Steve's father has coached junior rugby at Fylde for more than three decades and his brother captained the 1st XV. Both Steve's parents worked full time to enable their three sons to be the first generation in their family to go to university.
University
After leaving school Steve joined the army, serving as a Second Lieutenant on a Short Service Limited Commission before going to university sponsored by the army. He then read history at Peterhouse, Cambridge University, after which he studied law at The College of Law, Chester.
Work
Unlike so many MPs today who go straight into a job in politics, Steve has never worked in politics. After university he gained a professional qualification as a solicitor in 1998, before working for the next decade in a number of businesses including Guardian Royal Exchange, Axa Insurance, the Financial Services Authority, and Barclays Bank. He is currently Head of Anti-Money Laundering and Sanctions for the retail Bank.
Politics
Steve does not come from a political background and is the first person in his family to have joined a political party. He started his political involvement after leaving university by helping on grassroots campaigns in Chester and Watford. In 1997 he gained political experience by contesting the safe Labour inner city seat of Manchester Blackley against the then Leader of Manchester City Council, and in 2001 he fought the marginal seat of Lancaster & Wyre. The local paper praised his 'powerful and effective campaign' which reduced the sitting MPs majority to just 481. He opted not to contest the 2005 General Election in order to focus on his business career, but took three weeks leave during the election campaign in which he was an adviser to the Conservative Party Chairman, visiting most marginal seats across the country. In 2007 Steve became Chairman of the Organising Committee of the Carlton Political Dinner which raises funds for the Party's target seats.
Parliamentary Candidate
Steve was selected as the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for North East Cambridgeshire in January 2008. This followed the announcement by Malcolm Moss MP that he will retire at the next election after over 22 years as our MP. The selection contest was an open primary where all local residents, regardless of which political party they supported, were able to attend the final selection meeting and choose from six finalists. The contest was chaired by local newspaper editor John Elworthy.
Meeting Steve
Steve can often be spotted in one of the various coffee shops around Fenland and Littleport on a Saturday morning. He enjoys rugby and skydives, and locally is a supporter of Wisbech Rugby Club, a Vice President of March Cricket Club, a member of the March Conservative Club, and a friend of the Angles Theatre in Wisbech. He skydives at the Airkix dropzone near Peterborough. If you would like to arrange to meet Steve, please contact Mrs Debbie Clark on 01354 652295 or email necca1@tory.org
Steve skydiving with the famous Red Devils
Steve discussing the crisis in Burma with Shadow Foreign Secretary Rt Hon William Hague MP
Steve at the Straw Bear festival in Whittlesey
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