Nigel Evans: Difference between revisions
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On the issue of [[climate change]], Evans has expressed his belief in the [[Solar variation theory#Solar variation theory|solar variation theory]] and the causes of warming on the earth and on other planets being sunspots,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?id=2008-03-05a.449.0#g457.0|date=5 March 2008|title=Westminster Hall Debates – Climate Change|publisher=Hansard}}</ref> and praised the TV documentary ''[[The Great Global Warming Swindle]]'' as "one of the best and most controversial programmes I've ever seen on television, particularly for those who don't like being spoonfed by Al Gore".<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.channel4.com/about4/report_transcript.html| title=Next on 4 presentation – Transcript | date=13 March 2008|publisher=Channel 4}}</ref> |
On the issue of [[climate change]], Evans has expressed his belief in the [[Solar variation theory#Solar variation theory|solar variation theory]] and the causes of warming on the earth and on other planets being sunspots,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?id=2008-03-05a.449.0#g457.0|date=5 March 2008|title=Westminster Hall Debates – Climate Change|publisher=Hansard}}</ref> and praised the TV documentary ''[[The Great Global Warming Swindle]]'' as "one of the best and most controversial programmes I've ever seen on television, particularly for those who don't like being spoonfed by Al Gore".<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.channel4.com/about4/report_transcript.html| title=Next on 4 presentation – Transcript | date=13 March 2008|publisher=Channel 4}}</ref> |
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Nigel Evans voted against the introduction of the [[Minimum Wage|National Minimum Wage]] in 1999 by opposing the [[National Minimum Wage Act 1998|National Minimum Wage Act of 1998]]. He voted against every increase in the minimum wage thereafter and in 2009 became one of 11 MPs to back the Employment Opportunities Bill, which aimed to make the minimum wage optional, but was defeated in Parliament.<ref>[http://wageconcern.com/2009/05/15/youve-made-the-tories-pull-the-bill/] {{ |
Nigel Evans voted against the introduction of the [[Minimum Wage|National Minimum Wage]] in 1999 by opposing the [[National Minimum Wage Act 1998|National Minimum Wage Act of 1998]]. He voted against every increase in the minimum wage thereafter and in 2009 became one of 11 MPs to back the Employment Opportunities Bill, which aimed to make the minimum wage optional, but was defeated in Parliament.<ref>[http://wageconcern.com/2009/05/15/youve-made-the-tories-pull-the-bill/] {{wayback|url=http://wageconcern.com/2009/05/15/youve-made-the-tories-pull-the-bill/ |date=20090609090324 |df=y }}</ref> |
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Evans was ranked as the 570th most expensive MP out of the 646 MPs in the UK Parliament.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.nigelmp.com/record.jsp?type=news&ID=453| title=Nigel Evans MP Expenses Rankings | date=25 November 2009|publisher=Nigel Evans MP Office}}</ref> Criticism was drawn over his £375 a month expense on phone bills and his purchase of four digital cameras in 18 months.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/jul/13/nigel-evans-mps-expenses/| title=MPs' expenses: Conservative charged £375 a month for mobile phone bills | date=13 July 2009|publisher=The Guardian | location=London | first=Paul | last=Owen | accessdate=20 May 2010}}</ref> Evans later drew criticism for saying that he struggled to live on his salary of over £64,000 per year. He said those comments were made in jest.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/4543368.Nigel_Evans_caught_up_in_expenses_film_row/| title=Nigel Evans caught up in expenses film row | date=13 August 2009|publisher=Lancashire Telegraph}}</ref> |
Evans was ranked as the 570th most expensive MP out of the 646 MPs in the UK Parliament.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.nigelmp.com/record.jsp?type=news&ID=453| title=Nigel Evans MP Expenses Rankings | date=25 November 2009|publisher=Nigel Evans MP Office}}</ref> Criticism was drawn over his £375 a month expense on phone bills and his purchase of four digital cameras in 18 months.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/jul/13/nigel-evans-mps-expenses/| title=MPs' expenses: Conservative charged £375 a month for mobile phone bills | date=13 July 2009|publisher=The Guardian | location=London | first=Paul | last=Owen | accessdate=20 May 2010}}</ref> Evans later drew criticism for saying that he struggled to live on his salary of over £64,000 per year. He said those comments were made in jest.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/4543368.Nigel_Evans_caught_up_in_expenses_film_row/| title=Nigel Evans caught up in expenses film row | date=13 August 2009|publisher=Lancashire Telegraph}}</ref> |
Revision as of 01:54, 19 October 2015
Nigel Evans | |
---|---|
First Deputy Chair of Ways and Means | |
In office 8 June 2010 – 10 September 2013 | |
Preceded by | Sylvia Heal |
Succeeded by | Eleanor Laing |
Shadow Secretary of State for Wales | |
In office 11 June 2001 – 11 November 2003 | |
Leader | William Hague Iain Duncan Smith Michael Howard |
Preceded by | Angela Browning |
Succeeded by | Bill Wiggin |
Member of Parliament for Ribble Valley | |
Assumed office 9 April 1992 | |
Preceded by | Michael Carr |
Majority | 14,769 (28.3%) |
Personal details | |
Born | Nigel Martin Evans 10 November 1957 Swansea, Wales |
Nationality | British |
Political party | Conservative |
Alma mater | Swansea University |
Website | Official website |
Nigel Martin Evans (born 10 November 1957) is a British politician. Since 1992 he has been Member of Parliament for the Ribble Valley constituency, representing the Conservative Party until 2013, when he became an Independent. He was First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means, one of the Speaker's three deputies, from 2010 until his resignation in 2013 after allegations of crimes for which he was acquitted. Evans was reselected to stand as a Conservative candidate for Ribble Valley on 8 September 2014.[1] He was re-elected.
Early life
This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. (June 2013) |
Evans was born on 10 November 1957 in Swansea. He was educated locally at the Dynevor School, and at University College of Swansea, where he gained a Bachelor of Arts degree in politics in 1979. He was involved in the management of his family's newsagency and convenience store in Swansea.
Political career
In 1985, Evans was elected as a councillor to the West Glamorgan County Council. In 1990 he became the deputy Conservative group leader, before standing down as a councillor in 1991.
He contested Swansea West at the 1987 general election but was defeated by former minister Alan Williams by 7,062 votes. He was selected to contest the Pontypridd by-election, 1989 following the death of Brynmor John, the seat's Labour MP. He was defeated by Kim Howells in Pontypridd by 10,794 votes. He fought his third election in one parliament when he was selected to contest the very safe Conservative seat of Ribble Valley in the by-election caused by the resignation of David Waddington to become the Leader of the House of Lords in 1990, but was again defeated at the Ribble Valley by-election on 7 March 1991 when Mike Carr gained the seat for the Liberal Democrats by 4,601 votes.
Evans regained Ribble Valley from the Liberal Democrats at the 1992 general election defeating Carr by 6,542 votes and has remained the constituency's MP since then. He made his maiden speech on 20 May 1992.[2] He was appointed as the Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Secretary of State for Employment David Hunt in 1993 and remained Hunt's PPS when he was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in 1994. In 1995, Evans became the PPS to Tony Baldry the Minister of State at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in 1995, and in 1996 became the PPS to the new Secretary of State for Wales William Hague.
With the Conservative Party not winning a single seat in Wales at the 1997 general election, Evans was drafted onto the frontbench by John Major as a spokesman on Welsh Affairs. He became a member of the Shadow Cabinet under Iain Duncan Smith as the Shadow Secretary of State for Wales from 2001 to 2003. He had publicly criticised the government for not having a dedicated Secretary of State for Wales in a cabinet post, so when the new Conservative leader Michael Howard decided to take the role outside of the Shadow Cabinet, Evans chose to return to the backbenches.
He became a member of both the Trade and Industry the Welsh Affairs Select Committees in 2003; and in November 2004, he was appointed a Vice-Chairman of the Conservative Party, with specific responsibility for overseeing Conservatives Abroad and mobilising the Conservative vote overseas. He returned to the back-benches on the election of David Cameron in 2005 deciding to dedicate more time to his work on the Council of Europe and Western European Union. He has been a member of the Culture Media and Sport Select Committee since the 2005 general election.
On the issue of climate change, Evans has expressed his belief in the solar variation theory and the causes of warming on the earth and on other planets being sunspots,[3] and praised the TV documentary The Great Global Warming Swindle as "one of the best and most controversial programmes I've ever seen on television, particularly for those who don't like being spoonfed by Al Gore".[4]
Nigel Evans voted against the introduction of the National Minimum Wage in 1999 by opposing the National Minimum Wage Act of 1998. He voted against every increase in the minimum wage thereafter and in 2009 became one of 11 MPs to back the Employment Opportunities Bill, which aimed to make the minimum wage optional, but was defeated in Parliament.[5]
Evans was ranked as the 570th most expensive MP out of the 646 MPs in the UK Parliament.[6] Criticism was drawn over his £375 a month expense on phone bills and his purchase of four digital cameras in 18 months.[7] Evans later drew criticism for saying that he struggled to live on his salary of over £64,000 per year. He said those comments were made in jest.[8]
On 8 June 2010 Nigel Evans was elected First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means and a Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons. This was the first time the three Deputy Speakers had been elected by secret ballot of all MPs.[9]
Personal life
On 18 December 2010 Evans revealed to The Mail on Sunday that he was gay, saying that he was fed up with living his life as a lie.[10]
Allegations of sexual assault and acquittal
On 4 May 2013 Nigel Evans was arrested on suspicion of rape and sexual assault.[11] Evans' trial began on 10 March 2014.[12] He was acquitted of all charges on 10 April 2014.[13]
References
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-29116060
- ^ Department of the Official Report (Hansard), House of Commons, Westminster. "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 20 May 1992". Publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Westminster Hall Debates – Climate Change". Hansard. 5 March 2008.
- ^ "Next on 4 presentation – Transcript". Channel 4. 13 March 2008.
- ^ [1] Archived 2009-06-09 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Nigel Evans MP Expenses Rankings". Nigel Evans MP Office. 25 November 2009.
- ^ Owen, Paul (13 July 2009). "MPs' expenses: Conservative charged £375 a month for mobile phone bills". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 20 May 2010.
- ^ "Nigel Evans caught up in expenses film row". Lancashire Telegraph. 13 August 2009.
- ^ Commons roles for two Lancashire MPs (From This Is Lancashire). Thisislancashire.co.uk (8 June 2010). Retrieved on 18 December 2010.
- ^ Walters, Simon (18 December 2010). "Commons Deputy Speaker tells why he is fed up living a lie". The Mail on Sunday. London. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
- ^ "Deputy Speaker Nigel Evans arrested on suspicion of rape". Daily Telegraph. 4 May 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
- ^ "Nigel Evans MP: Sex charges trial starts for former deputy speaker". BBC News. 10 March 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
- ^ "MP Nigel Evans cleared of sexual assaults". BBC News. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
External links
- Nigel Evans MP official site
- Profile on UK Parliament website
- ePolitix.com – Nigel Evans MP
- Guardian Unlimited Politics – Ask Aristotle: Nigel Evans MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com – Nigel Evans MP
- The Public Whip – Nigel Evans MP voting record
- BBC News – Nigel Evans MP profile 24 March 2005
- 1957 births
- Conservative Party (UK) MPs
- Gay politicians
- Independent MPs (UK)
- Independent politicians in the United Kingdom
- LGBT politicians from Wales
- Living people
- Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies
- People acquitted of sex crimes
- People educated at Dynevor School, Swansea
- People from Swansea
- UK MPs 1992–97
- UK MPs 1997–2001
- UK MPs 2001–05
- UK MPs 2005–10
- UK MPs 2010–15
- UK MPs 2015–20
- Welsh politicians