Mike Nattrass
Encyclopedia
Mike Nattrass is an English politician and Member of the European Parliament
, representing the West Midlands constituency
for the UK Independence Party (UKIP), elected for the first time in June 2004 and re-elected in June 2009.
Born on 14 December 1945 in Leeds
, Yorkshire
, with Black Country
links on his mother’s side, he is a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (FRICS) and co-founder, in the 1980s, of Nattrass Giles, a successful commercial property business.
Nattrass joined the New Britain Party
in 1994 whose candidates were absorbed into the Referendum Party in 1997. He gained the highest vote in the West Midlands for the Referendum Party
at the 1997 general election. In 1998, he accepted an invitation to join UKIP from its leader Michael Holmes and sat on the UKIP National Executive Committee. In 2000 he became Party Chairman under Leader Jeffrey Titford
and from 2002 to 2006 he was Deputy Leader under Roger Knapman
.
Nattrass stood in many by elections and general elections representing UKIP, including the May 2008 Crewe and Nantwich by-election
and in South Staffordshire at the general election in 2010.
He was elected to the European Parliament in 2004, one of 12 seats won by UKIP, with a 9.2% swing and 16.1% of the vote. Nattrass was re-elected in West Midlands
June 2009, when UKIP polled 16.5% nationally, pushing Labour into third place and electing 13 MEPs. His regional vote increased to 21%, sending two UKIP West Midlands MEPs to the European Parliament
.
He has been a member of the Parliament’s Transport and Tourism Committee
since 2004 and speaks regularly in the Parliament
on a wide range of issues. He believes that UK legislation should be made in the UK, not by the EU and is committed to supporting withdrawal from the European Union. He supports West Midlands business in a period of economic difficulty and is viewed by his constituents as an effective champion of local and national issues both in parliament and through regular appearances on local and national TV and radio.
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
, representing the West Midlands constituency
West Midlands (European Parliament constituency)
West Midlands is a constituency of the European Parliament. For 2009 it elected 6 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation. The constituency will also elect a "virtual MEP" who will be able to sit in the Parliament if the Treaty of Lisbon comes into effect...
for the UK Independence Party (UKIP), elected for the first time in June 2004 and re-elected in June 2009.
Born on 14 December 1945 in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, with Black Country
Black Country
The Black Country is a loosely defined area of the English West Midlands conurbation, to the north and west of Birmingham, and to the south and east of Wolverhampton. During the industrial revolution in the 19th century this area had become one of the most intensely industrialised in the nation...
links on his mother’s side, he is a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (FRICS) and co-founder, in the 1980s, of Nattrass Giles, a successful commercial property business.
Nattrass joined the New Britain Party
New Britain Party
New Britain was a minor British right wing political party founded by Dennis Delderfield in 1976. The party was de-registered in November 2008.-Founding:...
in 1994 whose candidates were absorbed into the Referendum Party in 1997. He gained the highest vote in the West Midlands for the Referendum Party
Referendum Party
The Referendum Party was a Euro-sceptic, single issue party in the United Kingdom formed by Sir James Goldsmith to fight the 1997 General Election. The party called for a referendum on aspects of the UK's relationship with the European Union.-Policy:...
at the 1997 general election. In 1998, he accepted an invitation to join UKIP from its leader Michael Holmes and sat on the UKIP National Executive Committee. In 2000 he became Party Chairman under Leader Jeffrey Titford
Jeffrey Titford
Jeffrey William Titford is a British politician who served as leader of the UK Independence Party from 2000 until 2002. He served again as interim leader in September to November 2010 following the resignation of Lord Pearson of Rannoch...
and from 2002 to 2006 he was Deputy Leader under Roger Knapman
Roger Knapman
Roger Maurice Knapman is a British politician and the former leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party ....
.
Nattrass stood in many by elections and general elections representing UKIP, including the May 2008 Crewe and Nantwich by-election
Crewe and Nantwich by-election, 2008
The Crewe and Nantwich by-election, 2008 was a parliamentary by-election held on 22 May 2008, for the British House of Commons constituency of Crewe and Nantwich, in Cheshire, England...
and in South Staffordshire at the general election in 2010.
He was elected to the European Parliament in 2004, one of 12 seats won by UKIP, with a 9.2% swing and 16.1% of the vote. Nattrass was re-elected in West Midlands
West Midlands (European Parliament constituency)
West Midlands is a constituency of the European Parliament. For 2009 it elected 6 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation. The constituency will also elect a "virtual MEP" who will be able to sit in the Parliament if the Treaty of Lisbon comes into effect...
June 2009, when UKIP polled 16.5% nationally, pushing Labour into third place and electing 13 MEPs. His regional vote increased to 21%, sending two UKIP West Midlands MEPs 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...
.
He has been a member of the Parliament’s Transport and Tourism Committee
Committee on Transport and Tourism
The Committee on Transport and Tourism is a committee within the European Parliament.-External links:* Present Chairman is British Labour MEP Brian Simpson...
since 2004 and speaks regularly in the 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...
on a wide range of issues. He believes that UK legislation should be made in the UK, not by the EU and is committed to supporting withdrawal from the European Union. He supports West Midlands business in a period of economic difficulty and is viewed by his constituents as an effective champion of local and national issues both in parliament and through regular appearances on local and national TV and radio.