Mark Croucher
Encyclopedia
Mark Christopher Croucher (born 13 March 1966, Greenwich
, Connecticut
, U.S.
), is a political consultant specialising in media relations associated with the UK Independence Party. He was formerly Head of Media (2009-2011) for the Europe of Freedom and Democracy
Group in the European Parliament
, Director of Communications for the UK Independence Party (2001-2007), and was an elected member of the national council of the Chartered Institute of Journalists
from 2002 until 2006. He remains a member of the CIoJ.
He was in charge of media strategy during the UK Independence Party's successful 2004 European Election campaign, when the party gained 16.8% of the national vote and returned 12 MEPs, beating the Liberal Democrats into 4th place. In the UK Independence Party's 2005 General Election campaign, he was again responsible for media strategy: realising UKIP's ability to garner media coverage in a domestic election was small, he opted instead for controversial sponsorship deals and other low cost, high impact strategies. Ultimately, while UKIP increased its share of the vote, the campaign was always likely to struggle for media attention in a first past the post contest dominated by the three main parties.
A controversial figure within the party, he was responsible for seeing off infiltration attempts by the British National Party
, and was responsible for the removal of several BNP personnel who had managed to join UKIP .
In December 2010, he won a long standing legal battle with the BNP over unauthorised use of copyrighted images on their website , with Welshpool County Court awarding judgement in his favour against Nicholas John Griffin and the British National Party
He was a parliamentary candidate for the UK Independence Party in the Dartford (UK Parliament constituency)
constituency in 2001 and 2005, coming fourth both times with 989 votes (2.2%) and 1407 votes (3.01%) respectively.
He is a former Merchant Navy
radio officer , freelance journalist and pub landlord.
Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 61,171. It is home to many hedge funds and other financial service companies. Greenwich is the southernmost and westernmost municipality in Connecticut and is 38+ minutes ...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), is a political consultant specialising in media relations associated with the UK Independence Party. He was formerly Head of Media (2009-2011) for the Europe of Freedom and Democracy
Europe of Freedom and Democracy
Europe of Freedom and Democracy is a Eurosceptic political group in the European Parliament. Formed after the European parliamentary election in 2009, it is mostly made up of elements of the now defunct Independence/Democracy and Union for a Europe of Nations groups from the out-going...
Group in 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...
, Director of Communications for the UK Independence Party (2001-2007), and was an elected member of the national council of the Chartered Institute of Journalists
Chartered Institute of Journalists
The Chartered Institute of Journalists is a professional association for journalists and is the senior such body in the UK and the oldest in the world. It was founded as the National Association of Journalists at a meeting at the Grand Hotel in Birmingham in October 1884, to promote and advance...
from 2002 until 2006. He remains a member of the CIoJ.
He was in charge of media strategy during the UK Independence Party's successful 2004 European Election campaign, when the party gained 16.8% of the national vote and returned 12 MEPs, beating the Liberal Democrats into 4th place. In the UK Independence Party's 2005 General Election campaign, he was again responsible for media strategy: realising UKIP's ability to garner media coverage in a domestic election was small, he opted instead for controversial sponsorship deals and other low cost, high impact strategies. Ultimately, while UKIP increased its share of the vote, the campaign was always likely to struggle for media attention in a first past the post contest dominated by the three main parties.
A controversial figure within the party, he was responsible for seeing off infiltration attempts by the British National Party
British National Party
The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982...
, and was responsible for the removal of several BNP personnel who had managed to join UKIP .
In December 2010, he won a long standing legal battle with the BNP over unauthorised use of copyrighted images on their website , with Welshpool County Court awarding judgement in his favour against Nicholas John Griffin and the British National Party
British National Party
The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982...
He was a parliamentary candidate for the UK Independence Party in the Dartford (UK Parliament constituency)
Dartford (UK Parliament constituency)
-Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:-Notes and references:...
constituency in 2001 and 2005, coming fourth both times with 989 votes (2.2%) and 1407 votes (3.01%) respectively.
He is a former Merchant Navy
Merchant Navy
The Merchant Navy is the maritime register of the United Kingdom, and describes the seagoing commercial interests of UK-registered ships and their crews. Merchant Navy vessels fly the Red Ensign and are regulated by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency...
radio officer , freelance journalist and pub landlord.