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Simon Baynes
Simon Robert Maurice Baynes (born 21 April 1960) is a British Conservative former politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Clwyd South from 2019 to 2024. He served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice and Tackling Illegal Migration from July to September 2022. Baynes worked in finance for J.P. Morgan Cazenove from 1982 to 2006, before running a small bookshop in Shrewsbury.
Baynes was born in Lesbury, Northumberland, the son of Sir John Christopher Malcolm Baynes, 7th Baronet and Shirley Maxwell Baynes (née Dodds). He grew up in Montgomeryshire, where his father ran the Lake Vyrnwy Hotel. He and his father have since co-authored a book on the hotel.
He was privately educated at both Belhaven Hill Preparatory School and Shrewsbury School, before studying at Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he graduated with a BA in History. Whilst at the university, he was a choral exhibitioner and won the Dunster History Essay Prize. He was also President of the Cambridge Union. In 1982, he was Chairman of the Cambridge University Conservative Association.
Baynes was a partner at Cazenove & Co., and latterly a managing director of JPMorgan Cazenove, from 1982 to 2006. From 2007 to 2011, he was the owner and bookseller of Simon Baynes - Books and Music in Shrewsbury.
He has been a trustee (and was the founder) of Concertina - Music for the Elderly, which he formed in 1998 with his wife. It provides live music in care homes for the elderly. His mother-in-law suffered from dementia. He founded the Bodfach Charitable Trust in 2006, which he is also a trustee of. In addition, he has been a trustee of the Y Dolydd Llanfyllin Workhouse (2005–12), Mid Wales Opera (2012–19), Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod (2017–19) and Friends of St Myllin's Church (2018–19), the latter of which he is a patron of.
From 2005 to 2012, Baynes was Chairman of North Powys Youth Music. He has also been Chairman of the Welsh Historic Gardens Trust (2016–19) and the Holroyd Community Theatre (2018–19). He was the founder and Chairman of the Montgomeryshire Literary Festival (2018–19). From 2017 to 2019, he was a governor at Llanfyllin High School.
He stood as the Welsh Conservative candidate in Montgomeryshire in 2005, finishing second behind incumbent Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Öpik. He unsuccessfully sought the Conservative nomination for the seat of South Staffordshire in 2010, losing out to future cabinet minister Gavin Williamson. He then contested Dwyfor Meirionnydd at the 2010 general election, and the same seat in the 2011 National Assembly for Wales Election, both times without success.
Baynes was a Conservative member of Powys County Council from 2008 to 2012, and joint leader of the Conservative group. The following year, he joined Llanfyllin Town Council, where he remained a member until 2019. He served as the mayor of the eponymous Montgomeryshire town of Llanfyllin from 2018 to 2020.
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Simon Baynes
Simon Robert Maurice Baynes (born 21 April 1960) is a British Conservative former politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Clwyd South from 2019 to 2024. He served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice and Tackling Illegal Migration from July to September 2022. Baynes worked in finance for J.P. Morgan Cazenove from 1982 to 2006, before running a small bookshop in Shrewsbury.
Baynes was born in Lesbury, Northumberland, the son of Sir John Christopher Malcolm Baynes, 7th Baronet and Shirley Maxwell Baynes (née Dodds). He grew up in Montgomeryshire, where his father ran the Lake Vyrnwy Hotel. He and his father have since co-authored a book on the hotel.
He was privately educated at both Belhaven Hill Preparatory School and Shrewsbury School, before studying at Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he graduated with a BA in History. Whilst at the university, he was a choral exhibitioner and won the Dunster History Essay Prize. He was also President of the Cambridge Union. In 1982, he was Chairman of the Cambridge University Conservative Association.
Baynes was a partner at Cazenove & Co., and latterly a managing director of JPMorgan Cazenove, from 1982 to 2006. From 2007 to 2011, he was the owner and bookseller of Simon Baynes - Books and Music in Shrewsbury.
He has been a trustee (and was the founder) of Concertina - Music for the Elderly, which he formed in 1998 with his wife. It provides live music in care homes for the elderly. His mother-in-law suffered from dementia. He founded the Bodfach Charitable Trust in 2006, which he is also a trustee of. In addition, he has been a trustee of the Y Dolydd Llanfyllin Workhouse (2005–12), Mid Wales Opera (2012–19), Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod (2017–19) and Friends of St Myllin's Church (2018–19), the latter of which he is a patron of.
From 2005 to 2012, Baynes was Chairman of North Powys Youth Music. He has also been Chairman of the Welsh Historic Gardens Trust (2016–19) and the Holroyd Community Theatre (2018–19). He was the founder and Chairman of the Montgomeryshire Literary Festival (2018–19). From 2017 to 2019, he was a governor at Llanfyllin High School.
He stood as the Welsh Conservative candidate in Montgomeryshire in 2005, finishing second behind incumbent Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Öpik. He unsuccessfully sought the Conservative nomination for the seat of South Staffordshire in 2010, losing out to future cabinet minister Gavin Williamson. He then contested Dwyfor Meirionnydd at the 2010 general election, and the same seat in the 2011 National Assembly for Wales Election, both times without success.
Baynes was a Conservative member of Powys County Council from 2008 to 2012, and joint leader of the Conservative group. The following year, he joined Llanfyllin Town Council, where he remained a member until 2019. He served as the mayor of the eponymous Montgomeryshire town of Llanfyllin from 2018 to 2020.