Claire Coutinho

Claire Coutinho
Born	Claire Coryl Julia Coutinho (1985-07-08) July 8, 1985 London, England
Occupation(s)	Politician, former investment banker
Years active	2019–present (MP)
Known for	Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero; Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (2023–2024)

Claire Coryl Julia Coutinho (; born 8 July 1985) is a British politician and ex-investment banker, currently holding the positions of Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero and Shadow Minister for Equalities since 2024. A member of the Conservative Party, she has served as the MP for East Surrey since 2019. Coutinho was part of the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero from August 2023 until July 2024. She is recognized as a close supporter of former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and a prominent advocate for Brexit.

Coutinho graduated with a degree in mathematics and philosophy from Exeter College, Oxford. She then spent almost four years working as an associate at investment bank Merrill Lynch. Alongside food writer Mina Holland, she co-established The Novel Diner, an events company centered on literary themes. Her professional experience also includes positions at the centre-right think tank Centre for Social Justice, the sector organization Housing and Finance Institute, and as a corporate responsibility manager at accounting firm KPMG. She left KPMG to serve as a special adviser at HM Treasury, initially assisting Julian Smith before becoming an adviser to Sunak.

In September 2022, under Prime Minister Liz Truss, Coutinho joined the frontbench as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Disabled People. After Truss resigned, she backed Sunak’s leadership campaign and was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children, Families and Wellbeing in his administration. Elevated to Cabinet in August 2023 as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, she moved into the Shadow Cabinet following the Conservative Party's loss in the 2024 general election. Since November 2024, under leader Kemi Badenoch, she has continued in this capacity while also taking on the role of Shadow Minister for Equalities.

Early life and education

Born on 8 July 1985 in London, Claire Coryl Julia Coutinho is of Goan Catholic heritage; her parents emigrated from India during the late 1970s. Her late father, Winston, worked as an anaesthetist, while her mother, Maria, is a practicing general practitioner. Coutinho attended the private day school James Allen's Girls' School located in Dulwich, before earning a BA/MA degree in mathematics and philosophy at Exeter College, Oxford.

Career

Following her graduation, Coutinho spent close to four years employed as an associate at investment bank Merrill Lynch. In 2012, together with food writer Mina Holland, she launched The Novel Diner, a literary-themed events enterprise that ceased operations in 2015. She also participated in the culinary competition show The Taste, judged by Anthony Bourdain and Nigella Lawson.

Her career includes two years at the centre-right think tank Centre for Social Justice, where she worked on policies related to financial inclusion, education, and community regeneration. By 2016, she had taken on the role of programme director at the industry body Housing and Finance Institute, established by Natalie Elphicke. Additionally, she held a position as corporate responsibility manager at accounting firm KPMG.

Coutinho departed from KPMG to assume a special adviser role at HM Treasury, initially supporting Julian Smith before becoming an aide to Rishi Sunak. She has expressed that her motivation to join government was to contribute to implementing Brexit "from within," having backed the Leave campaign during the 2016 EU membership referendum.

Parliamentary career

On 8 November 2019, following the announcement of the 2019 United Kingdom general election, Coutinho was chosen as the Conservative candidate for East Surrey. The constituency, characterized by The Guardian as a "super-safe Conservative seat," had previously been represented by Sam Gyimah, who switched allegiance to the Liberal Democrats in September 2019.

In the December 2019 general election, Coutinho secured the East Surrey seat with 59.7% of the vote and a majority of 24,040, closely mirroring Gyimah’s prior vote share of 59.6%.

During May 2020, Coutinho attracted local disapproval after publicly backing Dominic Cummings amid controversy surrounding his lockdown travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. The following month, June 2020, saw the East Surrey Conservative Association’s offices defaced with graffiti branding them "liars, cheats, traitors."

Coutinho became a member of the advisory board for the centre-right think tank Onward in February 2020 and was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Rishi Sunak in March 2020. She held a senior fellowship at the conservative think tank Policy Exchange during 2021. In July 2022, she resigned from her PPS role amid widespread dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Johnson’s leadership following the Chris Pincher scandal, subsequently endorsing Sunak in the Conservative Party leadership contest.

Her ministerial roles included serving as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Disabled People from September to October 2022 and then for Children, Families and Wellbeing from October 2022 until August 2023. In June 2022, the government entered into a £19.5 million contract with consultancy Newton Europe to implement its Delivering Better Value programme, which aims to reduce spending deficits within special educational needs and disabilities services by targeting at least a 20% reduction in new education provision; however, Coutinho clarified in May 2023 that no formal targets had been established.

In August 2023, she called on social landlords and housing associations to permit childminders to operate within rented accommodations, drawing attention to lease restrictions that may hinder home-based childminding enterprises.

At the 2024 general election, Coutinho retained her seat as MP for East Surrey but with a decreased vote share of 35.6% and a majority reduced to 7,450. Following the Conservative Party’s electoral defeat, she was appointed on 8 July 2024 as Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero within Rishi Sunak's shadow cabinet.

Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero

Claire Coutinho assumed office as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on 31 August 2023, succeeding Grant Shapps. At age 38, she became both the youngest Cabinet member and the first MP elected in 2019 to be elevated to Cabinet rank. The Daily Telegraph highlighted that her appointment coincided with a subtle policy realignment under Sunak’s administration away from stringent environmental measures. According to a "senior government source," both Sunak and Coutinho remain committed to net zero objectives but intend to avoid imposing significant financial strain on households. While Coutinho has supported protecting green belt areas and expanding rural wilderness, she has also demonstrated understanding toward oil boiler users by suggesting possible reversals on planned bans affecting new oil boilers from 2026 and petrol/diesel vehicles from 2030. The Guardian noted that although Coutinho exhibits authentic environmental concern, Sunak appears focused on regaining voter confidence by tempering net zero ambitions.

At the 2023 Conservative Party Conference, Coutinho asserted that the Labour Party endorsed a meat tax, a claim later refuted by fact-checkers. When pressed by Sky News’s Sophy Ridge, she described her comment as jocular and did not provide supporting evidence.

In April 2024, responding to criticism from Chris Stark—the outgoing Head of the Climate Change Committee—Coutinho defended the government's environmental record by emphasizing that the UK was the first major economy to halve emissions since 1990. She referenced tax reforms designed to stimulate investment in the energy sector and stressed a "sensible and pragmatic" approach toward net zero aimed at preventing excessive costs for families.

Opposition and Shadow Cabinet

During the 2024 general election, although the Conservative Party faced substantial losses across the country, Coutinho successfully defended her parliamentary seat, albeit with a narrower majority of 7,450 votes. Within Sunak's Shadow Cabinet, she maintained her role overseeing energy matters as the Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. After Kemi Badenoch secured the Conservative leadership in November, Coutinho continued as Shadow Energy Secretary and additionally assumed responsibilities as the Shadow Minister for Equalities.

Public image

Coutinho is recognized as a firm advocate of Brexit and a close partisan supporter of Sunak. Heather Stewart highlighted that she shares Sunak’s pride in her Indian background. Rachel Cunliffe from the New Statesman observed that Conservative MPs view Coutinho as capable, diligent, pragmatic, and analytically sharp. Cunliffe characterized her as a committed worker who rose through the ranks by endorsing the appropriate leadership candidate at a pivotal moment, thereby gaining the confidence of a prime minister seeking dependable collaborators.

Personal life

In July 2024, Coutinho revealed her engagement to Adam Hawksbee, who was then serving as Deputy Director at the centre-right think tank Onward. By December 2024, Hawksbee had advanced to Head of External Affairs at Marks and Spencer, and the couple announced they were expecting a son. Their child, Rafael Peter Hawksbee, was born on 17 January 2025.

Honours

• On 15 September 2023, Coutinho was appointed to the Privy Council, earning the lifelong title The Right Honourable.

External links

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