Sir Graham Brady stood down as the MP for Altrincham and Sale West in June 2024. Graham was elected MP for Altrincham and Sale West in 1997, becoming the youngest Conservative MP. Graham was born in Salford in 1967 and was educated at Heyes Lane, Altrincham Grammar School and Durham University where he studied law. Graham first became active in the Conservative party when aged 16 he joined a campaign to save the local grammar schools. Prior to entering Parliament in 1997 Graham was Public Affairs Director at the Waterfront Partnership. He had previously worked at the Centre for Policy Studies and Shandwick Plc.
In Parliament Graham has been opposition spokesman on employment, served as a whip and as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Rt Hon Michael Ancram when he was Party Chairman. He went onto become Shadow Minister for Schools; PPS to Michael Howard when he became Leader of the Opposition and then Shadow Europe Minister. He continued in that role following David Cameron's election as leader. Graham stepped down from the front bench on 29th May 2007 to campaign in support of grammar schools and selective education.
In 2010 Graham was elected Chairman of the 1922 Committee which represents the views and concerns of backbench Conservative MPs and continued in that position until 2024 when he stood down as an MP. Graham was voted Backbencher of the Year by the Spectator magazine in 2010 and by Conservative Home. In 2020 he was knighted in the New Year Honours List and was awarded a Peerage in 2024.