Alan Keen

David Alan Keen (born 25 November 1937, Lewisham, London) is a politician in the United Kingdom. He is Labour and Co-operative member of Parliament for Feltham and Heston.

Early life

Although born in London, Alan Keen was brought up in the Grangetown and Redcar area of the north east of England. He went to Sir William Turners Grammar School in Redcar^[1]. He joined the British Army in 1960 and after nearly three years of service, in 1963, he started his career with the Fire Protection Industry where he remained until his election to the House of Commons. He also worked as a tactical scout for Middlesbrough F.C. for eighteen years.

Parliamentary career

He served as a member of Hounslow Borough Council from 1986-90 and was elected to Parliament at the 1992 General Election when he unseated the sitting Conservative MP Patrick Ground. In Parliament he has served on both the Education (1995-96) and the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committees (1997-99 and since 2001).

Expenses claims

Mr and Mrs Keen bought an apartment using their combined second homes allowance within Parliamentary rules. The couple bought the flat in May 2002 after spending six months in a London hotel, using two mortgages: one loan was for £350,000 from HSBC; the second loan was raised by re-mortgaging their property in Brentford, also through HSBC. The couple never submitted a single receipt, instead sending copies of their bank statements to the expenses department every month showing the payment of council tax, claiming £1,643.50 each month throughout 2002-03 and £1,699 each throughout 2003-04.

In total the taxpayer paid £175,128 towards the mortgage on their second house, critics suggest they should have taken a taxi from their other property as it is only a 30 minute drive from Westminster. However, there are no allegations that the Keens broke any laws. They also took out life insurance policies worth £430,000 and claimed back the £867.57 a month premiums on their expenses - a practice which is now banned. ^[2]

Voting record

How Alan Keen voted on key issues since 1997 ([1]):

• Voted for power to detain terror suspects without charge for 42 days.
• Voted against considering need of both father and mother before IVF treatment.
• Voted against a transparent Parliament.
• Voted for racial and religious hatred laws.
• Voted against elected House Of Lords.
• Voted for an appointed House Of Lords.
• Voted for introducing a smoking ban.
• Voted for introducing ID cards.
• Voted against introducing foundation hospitals.
• Voted for introducing student top-up fees.
• Voted for Labour's anti-terrorism laws.
• Voted for the Iraq war.
• Voted against investigating the Iraq war.
• Voted for replacing Trident.
• Voted for the hunting ban.
• Voted for equal gay rights.
• Voted for means tests for Incapacity Benefit claimants.
• Voted to cut lone parent benefit.

Personal life

His wife, Ann Keen, to whom he has been married to since 1980, joined him in the Commons at the 1997 General Election when she was elected for the neighbouring seat of Brentford and Isleworth. His sister-in-law, Sylvia Heal is also an MP and one of three Deputy Speakers of the House of Commons. He and his wife live in his wife's constituency at Brentford.

References

External links

• Alan Keen MP official site
• Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Alan Keen MP
• TheyWorkForYou.com - Alan Keen MP
• BBC Politics page