26 Facts About Bim Afolami

Abimbola "Bim" Afolami is a British Conservative Party politician.

Bim Afolami served as the Member of Parliament for Hitchin and Harpenden in Hertfordshire from the 2017 general election until 2024.

Bim Afolami was the Economic Secretary to the Treasury from 2023 to 2024.

Bim Afolami's father Samuel is a Nigerian consultant doctor in the NHS, who moved to the UK in his early twenties.

Bim Afolami was Berkshire county champion several times in both the 400m and triple jump as a schoolboy, and competed at national level.

Bim Afolami reached the final of the national English schools athletics championships finals in 2002 in the triple jump.

Bim Afolami attended University College, Oxford, where he read modern history.

Bim Afolami previously was a supporter of the Labour Party.

Bim Afolami was the Conservative Party candidate for Lewisham Deptford at the 2015 general election, where he finished in second place with 7,056 votes.

Bim Afolami voted "Remain" in the 2016 referendum on EU membership.

Bim Afolami was selected as the Conservative candidate for Hitchin and Harpenden constituency in 2017 following the announcement that the sitting Conservative MP, Peter Lilley, was to stand down.

In 2018, Bim Afolami was named one of the Franco-British Council's Young Leaders.

In September 2018, Bim Afolami was appointed parliamentary private secretary in the Department for Transport.

In February 2019, Bim Afolami was appointed PPS to the Secretary of State for International Development, followed by his appointment as PPS to the Secretary of State for International Trade, Liz Truss.

Bim Afolami was appointed as PPS to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Therese Coffey.

Bim Afolami was appointed in September 2021 as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss.

Bim Afolami served as Chair of PRASEG, the all-party parliamentary group on Renewable and Sustainable energy, until November 2023, when he resigned on being appointed as Economic Secretary to the treasury.

Bim Afolami was the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Credit Unions and a Commissioner for the Financial Inclusion Commission, a financial inclusion campaign group.

Bim Afolami is active in supporting charities and other voluntary groups.

Bim Afolami is patron of Harpenden Spotlight on Africa a charity working in health and education in rural Uganda.

Bim Afolami is patron of GRIT and Tilehouse Counselling, two mental health charities in his constituency.

Bim Afolami sits on the advisory board of the Social Market Foundation and on the Programme Committee of the Ditchley Foundation.

In March 2023, Bim Afolami announced that he would be contesting the new Hitchin constituency at the 2024 general election, following the 2023 review of constituency boundaries.

Bim Afolami contested the changed Hitchin constituency at the 2024 general election, but lost the seat to Alistair Strathern of the Labour Party.

Bim Afolami is the youngest person ever appointed to the latter role.

Bim Afolami's appointment was widely welcomed by leading City figures due to his experience in the financial services industry both before entering parliament and whilst on the backbenches.