Burns was born on 24 September 1972 in Belfast and moved with his family to Hertfordshire in 1980. He was educated at the independent St Columba's College, St Albans, and read Modern History and Politics at the University of Southampton. While at university, he was chairman of Southampton University Conservative Association from 1992 to 1993, and chairman of Wessex Area Conservatives from 1993 to 1994.
