Brooks was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Braintree in 2005. Brooks has served as a member of the Science and Technology Committee (2005-7) and the Treasury Select Committee (2006-7). Brooks was promoted to the Whips' Office in July 2007, serving first as the Treasury Whip until 2009 and latterly as the Foreign Affairs Whip 2009-10.
In 2010, Brooks won the newly configured seat of Braintree, increasing his majority to 16,121. As part of the new Coalition Government, Brooks has been appointed a Senior Government Whip with responsibility for the Department of Business and the Wales Office. Brooks is also a Lords Commissioner.
Brooks' special interests include: Economic Policy, Foreign Policy (Middle East, India, China and USA), Poverty Reduction and International Development (Microfinance), Special Needs Education, and Women's Issues (Healthcare & Politics).
Brooks has published a number of papers on debt: 'Simply Red: The True State of the Public Finances' (CPS, 2006), 'The Price of Irresponsibility' (CPS, 2008) and 'The Hidden Debt Bombshell' (CPS, 2009).
Brooks is also a Board Director at Harvard University (Harvard Alumni Association) and Co-Chairman of the Party's Women2Win campaign.
Prior to entering politics, Brooks was a Senior Partner of Apollo Management LP, a leading International Private Equity firm.
Brooks was educated at Harvard College (AB History) and Harvard Business School (MBA Finance), and was also a Politics Research Graduate at Worcester College, Oxford.
Brooks lives locally with his wife and five children. In addition to spending as much time as possible with his children, Brooks is a keen Newcastle United supporter (and season ticket holder), and enjoys skiing and long-distance running. Brooks is involved in numerous charities, including Get Kids Going! PARC, Farleigh Hospice, and A Partner in Education, which he founded in 2010.