Antony Higginbotham is the Member of Parliament for Burnley, having been elected in the December 2019 General Election. Antony has been an active member of the Conservative Party since 2007.
A northern lad
Born and raised in Rossendale, Lancashire, Antony’s mum was a trade union representative and his dad worked two jobs.
Antony attended the local state comprehensive school and then went on to study at the same school’s sixth form college. Throughout all of this time a big part of Antony’s life was Lancashire’s Army Cadet Force. Here Antony learnt the values associated with the military – respect for others; selfless commitment; courage; integrity; discipline; and loyalty. These values continue to represent an important part of Antony’s character, along with his utmost admiration for the work of our Armed Forces.
After finishing school Antony became the first of his family to go to university when he began at the University of Hull studying politics.
A history of the NHS
From university Antony went to work in the NHS. This was, and continues to be a big part of Antony's life. Not only did he spend time working in the NHS but so have many of his family members. His grandma worked as a nurse at Burnley Hospital for over a decade, his mum as a Healthcare Assistant, and his step-dad as a mental health manager in Burnley Healthcare and more recently Lancashire Care.
Immediately prior to being elected Antony had been working for NatWest to ensure the bank was able to continue supporting customers once the UK left the EU.
Political priorities
Antony's priorities in Westminster are rebalacing the economy and ensuring that Burnley, and all northern towns, are given proper priority for large infrastructure projects. His time in the Army Cadets also fostered in him a strong focus on the UK's defence and security policy and getting proper support for veterans and those still serving is an area Antony intends on focusing on.