Desmond Swayne

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Desmond Angus Swayne (born 20 August 1956) is a politician in the United Kingdom. He is Conservative Member of Parliament for the constituency of New Forest West in Hampshire, and was first elected in May 1997 and is currently the Parliamentary Private Secretary to David Cameron.

He was educated at Bedford School and studied Theology at the University of St Andrews. In 2003 he served for five months in Iraq as a major in the Territorial Army.

Following the election of David Cameron as leader of the Conservative Party in December 2005, he was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary. This position involved being the eyes and ears of David Cameron in the House of Commons and reporting back on observations and requests from colleagues.

In July 2006, a number of e-mails to David Cameron were leaked to the Sunday Times that included unfavourable comments about Conservative MPs and the Party Chairman Francis Maude, who it was claimed "was not yet trusted by the parliamentary party", and Theresa May, the shadow Commons leader, as "neither liked nor trusted across the party". Within the e-mails reference was also made to an incident which happened at the Spring Forum in Manchester, the details of which have not been revealed. The e-mail text was as follows "Something dreadful happened to me in Manchester but I cannot put it on paper. I will tell you later."

In the Evening Standard London Diary on 5th July, it was also alleged that after a few drinks that he called for withdrawal from the European Union.