PERSONAL LIFE & EARLY CAREER
Early Career
After graduating, I worked for a short time at Cadbury in Bournville before joining the Inland Revenue as a direct entrant Tax Officer, Higher Grade (Revenue Executive Officer) where I primarily undertook personal tax PAYE work.
In 1989 I moved to the private sector joining Price Waterhouse accountants as a personal tax advisor. During this time I studied for and obtained Chartered Tax Advisor qualifications. I carried out personal taxation work, particularly trust planning as well as taxation compliance. During this time I was asked to contribute to an edition of Tolley’s Tax Planning, the recognised authority on all tax planning matters.
In 1995 I moved to
Arthur Andersen accountants
where I specialised in personal taxation, PAYE audit advice, and tax planning as well as US Taxation compliance work. One of my roles at Arthur Andersen was as part of a new Financial Planning team. In this position I successfully qualified to provide regulated financial advice. My role included advising National Lottery winners on how to spend their new fortunes as well as advising other high net worth individuals.
In 1999, I co-founded Platts Flello Limited. This was a taxation and financial planning consultancy for high net worth individuals and corporate clients. My directorial duties included being Compliance Director, responsible for the company to the Personal Investment Authority (which became part of the Financial Services Authority and in turn became the Financial Conduct Authority). This experience provided me with excellent grounding in running an SME and managing varied contracts and regulatory responsibilities. The company was sold to the private bank, EFG in 2004.
From late 2003 I moved into the third sector, becoming Chief Executive Officer of the Malachi Community Trust in 2004. The charity worked with children and their families, specifically using musical drama to engage with under elevens to identify behavioural, mental health or emotional issues. The work enabled behavioural counsellors to make appropriate interventions. As well as leading the organisation I oversaw a period of fundamental change within the structure of the charity and a sharp growth both in the service provided and the wider recognition within the field of operation.
Personal Life
I spent my childhood in Bournville, Birmingham before my family moved to Northfield when I was sixteen.
Like many families, mine is complicated!
My parents divorced when I was seven years old and I stayed living with my mother who married Ray Swain, a manager at Cadbury. My Mum worked at Cadbury as a payroll officer before becoming a civilian enquiry officer for West Midlands police until her retirement.
My father is Douglas Flello (who was a tobacco buyer for T&S stores until he retired).
I went to Bournville Junior and Infant schools before going to King's Norton Boys' School. I was an obsessive reader from an early age and during my time at King’s Norton I became interested in politics. I successfully completed my A-Levels and at age eighteen I went to University of Wales, Bangor to read Chemistry.
Although I knew I ultimately wanted a career linked to politics, I made the decision to enjoy university then get a job outside of politics so while I was at Bangor, I took no part in student politics. In 1987 I graduated with a B.Sc (Hons).
I married my long-term partner Karen Clarke in 2018.
I had previously been married and have a daughter, Romana, from my previous marriage and a step-son, Angelo, from Teresa’s previous marriage.
I converted to Catholicism in 2010 having had a "road to Damascus" conversion from being an atheist! Finding my faith really was life-changing as many of my views changed completely, I lost a few folks I thought were friends and it probably cost me a political career. Despite that, as I've said in the past, I could no more leave my faith at the door of the House of Commons than I could my name or my gender or my arms and legs!
I saw the illogical position of many accepted left-wing positions and the inherent contradictions; how can you defend the rights of the most vulnerable while ignoring those most vulnerable of all, the unborn?
