Timothy Kirkhope

Timothy John Robert Kirkhope (born April 29 1945) is a British lawyer and politician, currently serving as Member of the European Parliament for Yorkshire and the Humber for the Conservative Party. He has been leader of the Conservative delegation since December 2004. He was first elected to the European Parliament in 1999, after serving for ten years as Member of Parliament for Leeds North East.

Biography

Kirkhope was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and educated at the Royal Grammar School there and subsequently at the Law Society College of Law in Guildford before qualifying as a Solicitor in 1973. He was a Senior Partner in Newcastle law firm Wilkinson Marshall Clayton and Gibson (now part of Eversheds) until giving up practice on election to Parliament in 1987.

In 1982 he was elected to Northumberland County Council and served as a Director of Newcastle Airport. He obtained a Private Pilot’s Licence in 1983. He was very active in Hospital Broadcasting being the Chairman of Radio Tyneside for some years, and has maintained his links with the company. He was also very active in charitable work for the Macmillan Cancer Relief organization in Newcastle and the Family Service Unit movement.

Parliament

At the 1987 general election, Kirkhope followed Sir Keith Joseph as the Member of Parliament for Leeds North East. He was made Parliamentary Private Secretary to David Trippier at the Department of the Environment in 1989. In the same year, he introduced and saw passed a private members' bill (the Parking Act 1989) which was designed to help motorists find better provision for their parking needs. He joined the Government as an Assistant Whip in 1990, becoming a Lord Commissioner to the Treasury in 1992, and Vice-Chamberlain of the Household in 1995.

In October 1995 Kirkhope received a promotion to be Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office responsible for immigration, border controls, gambling and licensing policy, and horseracing. He was defeated for re-election at the 1997 general election, his constituency attracting some interest because its majority had placed it at the point where a Labour gain would indicate that the party was likely to win an overall majority. Kirkhope returned to legal practice and also went into business. He is currently a non-executive director of the Bournemouth and West Hants Water Company.

European Parliament

In June 1999 he was elected to the European Parliament for Yorkshire and the Humber becoming the Conservative spokesman on justice and home affairs and the Chief Whip of the delegation that year. He also served on the Culture, Media, Arts Education and Youth Committee between 1999 and 2002. In 2002 he became the Conservative Party representative on the Convention on the Future of Europe, established to consider the future course for Europe. He was re-selected by Conservative members in Yorkshire and The Humber to head the list of candidates in the European elections in June 2004 in December 2002.

In spring 2003, Kirkhope was asked by the then Shadow Home Secretary Oliver Letwin to look into the workings of the UK asylum system and to make proposals for future party policy. The Kirkhope Commission worked for several months and produced a comprehensive report with 20 specific recommendations.

In July 2004, Kirkhope was elected as the first Vice-Chairman of the European Democrats, serving for a year. After the success of his Asylum Commission, he was asked to head another commission on immigration. This report was presented to the Shadow Home Secretary David Davis during the summer of 2004. In December 2004, Kirkhope was elected Leader of the Conservative Delegation in the European Parliament.

External links

* [http://www.kirkhope.org.uk Official site] ( [http://www.kirkhope.org.uk/bio.htm biography] )
* [http://www.europarl.europa.eu/members/public/geoSearch/view.do?country=GB&partNumber=1&zone=Yorkshire+and+the+Humber&language=EN&id=4542 Profile at European Parliament website]
*" [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6359875.stm EU to vote on CIA flights report] " -- "BBC News" article quoting Kirkhope