David Bellotti
Encyclopedia
David Frank Bellotti is a Liberal Democrat
politician in the United Kingdom
who was Member of Parliament
(MP) for the Eastbourne constituency
from 1990 to 1992.
Bellotti first contested the Eastbourne
seat at the 1979 general election
, subsequently fighting Lewes
in the 1983 and 1987 general elections under the Liberal
banner. He then won the parliamentary seat of Eastbourne
for the Liberal Democrats in the Eastbourne by-election
following the assassination of Conservative
MP Ian Gow
by the Provisional Irish Republican Army
(IRA). Two years later Bellotti was defeated by Nigel Waterson
in the 1992 general election
in which John Major
's Conservative government was re-elected.
He subsequently unsuccessfully contested the East Sussex and Kent South (European Parliament constituency)
in the 1994 elections to the European Parliament
.
David Bellotti returned to local government, regaining a seat on the council. He then became CEO of Brighton & Hove Albion, a position in which he controversially took part in the sale of the Brighton's stadium after the club's articles of association had been changed, allowing for profit to be made on the sale of the Goldstone Ground. This change was however reversed on the insistence of the Football Association, preventing directors from taking out more than they had invested. Bellotti became reviled by Brighton fans and left the area shortly afterwards.
Following the controversy over Brighton and Hove Albion, members of the Liberal Democrats in Eastbourne
deselected him as candidate for the Park ward of East Sussex
County Council.
After leaving the football club and losing his council seat Bellotti moved to Bath and became election agent for Don Foster MP. In May 2003 David Bellotti was elected councillor for Lyncombe ward on Bath and North East Somerset
council and was re-elected in May 2007. On 8 May 2008 he was appointed as Chairman of the Council for 2008/9.
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
politician in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
who was Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for the Eastbourne constituency
Eastbourne (UK Parliament constituency)
Eastbourne is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election. Traditionally a safe Conservative seat, Eastbourne became very marginal following the 1990...
from 1990 to 1992.
Bellotti first contested the Eastbourne
Eastbourne (UK Parliament constituency)
Eastbourne is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election. Traditionally a safe Conservative seat, Eastbourne became very marginal following the 1990...
seat at the 1979 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1979
The United Kingdom general election of 1979 was held on 3 May 1979 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. The Conservative Party, led by Margaret Thatcher ousted the incumbent Labour government of James Callaghan with a parliamentary majority of 43 seats...
, subsequently fighting Lewes
Lewes (UK Parliament constituency)
Lewes is a constituency located in East Sussex and centred on the town of Lewes. It is represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was a safe Conservative seat until 1997, but the Liberal Democrats have gained a strong foothold.-Boundaries:The constituency is...
in the 1983 and 1987 general elections under the Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
banner. He then won the parliamentary seat of Eastbourne
Eastbourne (UK Parliament constituency)
Eastbourne is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election. Traditionally a safe Conservative seat, Eastbourne became very marginal following the 1990...
for the Liberal Democrats in the Eastbourne by-election
Eastbourne by-election, 1990
The Eastbourne by-election, 1990 was a by-election held on 18 October 1990 for the British House of Commons constituency of Eastbourne in East Sussex....
following the assassination of Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
MP Ian Gow
Ian Gow
Ian Reginald Edward Gow TD was a British Conservative politician and solicitor. While serving as Member of Parliament for Eastbourne, he was assassinated by the Provisional Irish Republican Army who exploded a bomb under his car outside his home in East Sussex.-Life:Ian Gow was born at 3 Upper...
by the Provisional Irish Republican Army
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
(IRA). Two years later Bellotti was defeated by Nigel Waterson
Nigel Waterson
Nigel Christopher Waterson is a politician in the United Kingdom. He was Conservative Party member of Parliament for Eastbourne until the 2010 election. He was first elected in 1992...
in the 1992 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
in which John Major
John Major
Sir John Major, is a British Conservative politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990–1997...
's Conservative government was re-elected.
He subsequently unsuccessfully contested the East Sussex and Kent South (European Parliament constituency)
East Sussex and Kent South (European Parliament constituency)
Prior to its uniform adoption of proportional representation in 1999, the United Kingdom used first-past-the-post for the European elections in England, Scotland and Wales...
in the 1994 elections to the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
.
David Bellotti returned to local government, regaining a seat on the council. He then became CEO of Brighton & Hove Albion, a position in which he controversially took part in the sale of the Brighton's stadium after the club's articles of association had been changed, allowing for profit to be made on the sale of the Goldstone Ground. This change was however reversed on the insistence of the Football Association, preventing directors from taking out more than they had invested. Bellotti became reviled by Brighton fans and left the area shortly afterwards.
Following the controversy over Brighton and Hove Albion, members of the Liberal Democrats in Eastbourne
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
deselected him as candidate for the Park ward of East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
County Council.
After leaving the football club and losing his council seat Bellotti moved to Bath and became election agent for Don Foster MP. In May 2003 David Bellotti was elected councillor for Lyncombe ward on Bath and North East Somerset
Bath and North East Somerset
Bath and North East Somerset is a unitary authority that was created on 1 April 1996 following the abolition of the County of Avon. It is part of the Ceremonial county of Somerset...
council and was re-elected in May 2007. On 8 May 2008 he was appointed as Chairman of the Council for 2008/9.