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Bob Spink

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Dr
Bob Spink
MP
File:Bob spink mp.jpg
Member of Parliament
for Castle Point
Incumbent
Assumed office
2001
Personal details
Born (1948-08-01) 1 August 1948 (age 76)
Worth Valley, Yorkshire
NationalityBritish
Political partyUK Independence
ProfessionMember of Parliament
WebsiteBob Spink MP

Dr Robert Michael Spink (born 1 August 1948, Worth Valley, Yorkshire) is a politician in the United Kingdom. He was elected as the Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Castle Point in Essex, and was first elected in 1992. He lost his seat in 1997, but regained it in 2001. He was deselected as a Conservative candidate in March 2008, and in April 2008 he defected to the United Kingdom Independence Party, becoming that party's first and currently only MP.[1]

Early life

He went to Holycroft Secondary Modern School (now a primary school) on Victoria Road in Keighley and Southall Technical College, At the University of Manchester, he gained an BSc Hons (1st) in 1972. At Cranfield University, he gained an MSc in Industrial Engineering and Administration in 1975 and PhD in Economics and Management in 1988.

He joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1964, and until 1966 did his Basic Training at RAF Cosford and RAF Uxbridge, being invalided. He was an engineer for EMI Electronics Ltd from 1966-77 in Hayes and gained an Ordinary National Certificate (ONC) from Southall Technical College in 1969 when on day-release, then became an Industrial Management Consultant in 1977 for Harold Whitehead and Partners. From 1980-4, he was Director of Seafarer Navigation International Ltd (eventually bought by Standard Communications) in Bournemouth, and from 1989-93, he was a non-executive Director of Bournemouth International Airport. From 1984-93, he was a Management Consultant. From 1997 to 2001, he worked for Harold Whitehead in Windsor. He was a county councillor in Essex from 1985-92.

Parliamentary career

He is opposed to abortion and wants to bring back capital punishment. He is against research into animal chimeras and refers to those involved in or supporting human bioengineering as "Dark forces"[2].

In April 2005, Spink took out an anti-immigration advert in the local Yellow Advertiser newspaper reading "What bit of 'send them back' don't you understand Mr Blair?" about which his rival for the constituency, the the Labour candidate Luke Akehurst, said: "This advertisement contains appalling comments that whip up racial tension and fear to win votes. It is reminiscent of the worse utterances of Enoch Powell. The Tory leadership should disown it."[3]

On March 12 2008, Spink announced to the UK House of Commons that he had resigned the Conservative Party Whip due to "criminal and other irregularities" in his constituency. This announcement was later rebutted by the party chief whip Patrick McLoughlin and they described the whip having been withdrawn from him. McLoughlin referred to a letter previously received from Spink, who had threatened to resign over an attempted reselection by his association. This separated him from the Conservative group in Parliament. Ill-feeling against Spink in his association were assisted by a long-standing affair he had conducted with the partner of the association's deputy chairman.[4]

On 21 April 2008, Bob Spink became the first member of Parliament for the United Kingdom Independence Party, saying that "positive and sensible co-operation with the EU does not require us to sell the British people down the river or to give our independence away"[5].

Personal life

He married Janet Barham; they have three sons and a daughter, but are now divorced.

References

  1. ^ Tory rebel Bob Spink becomes Ukip's first MP
  2. ^ http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/vo060525/debtext/60525-0014.htm. Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). commons. 2006-05-25. col. 1706. {{cite book}}: |chapter-url= missing title (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ "Tory candidate under fire for 'send them back' asylum ad" The Guardian 14 April 2005. Retrieved on 22 April 2008.
  4. ^ Rosa Prince "Bob Spink sacked after row over private life", Daily Telegraph 16 March 2008. Retrieved on 21 March 2008.
  5. ^ UKIP welcomes its first MP
Template:Incumbent succession box
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Castle Point
1992–1997 		Succeeded by


Template:UK-current-MP-stub

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