Brendan Donnelly (politician)

Brendan Donnelly
Donnelly in 2014
Leader of Rejoin EU
Incumbent
Assumed office 2024
Preceded by	Richard Hewison
Member of the European Parliament for Sussex South and Crawley
In office 9 June 1994 – 10 June 1999
Preceded by	Constituency created
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Personal details
Born	Brendan Patrick Donnelly (1950-08-25) 25 August 1950 London, England
Political party	Rejoin EU (since 2021)
Other political affiliations	Alliance EPP: European People's Party UK (2014-2021) Yes2Europe (2009-2014) Liberal Democrats (1999-2009) Conservatives (before 1999)
Education	Christ Church, Oxford
Occupation	Politician Director of the Federal Trust Chair of the Federal Union (until 6 March 2010)
Known for	Pro-Europeanism

Brendan Patrick Donnelly (born 25 August 1950) is a British pro-European Union politician who has been the leader of Rejoin EU since 2024. Donnelly previously served as the Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Sussex South and Crawley constituency from 1994 to 1999.

Background

Born in London, Donnelly was educated at St Ignatius' College in Tottenham, and then at Christ Church, Oxford. He worked at the Foreign Office from 1976 until 1982, when he joined the secretariat of the Conservative Group in the European Parliament. From 1986 to 1987, he was a political adviser to Lord Cockfield, and then from 1987 to 1990 worked as an independent consultant on the European Community. At the 1989 European Parliament election, he stood unsuccessfully for the Conservatives in London West.

Donnelly was elected as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) in Sussex South and Crawley at the 1994 European Parliament election for the Conservative Party. He then left the party, continued as an independent for a period, and then co-founded and became deputy leader of the Pro-Euro Conservative Party at the 1999 European elections.

He failed to get elected and subsequently joined the Liberal Democrats. He stood in the 2009 European elections under the Yes2Europe political label. He stood in the 2014 European elections for the 4 Freedoms Party (UK EPP). He stood in the 2021 London Assembly election for Rejoin EU. He was unsuccessful in each case. He stood for Rejoin EU in the June 2021 Chesham and Amersham by-election.

Donnelly is director of the Federal Trust and, until 6 March 2010, was chair of the Federal Union, when he was succeeded by Richard Laming.