Sir Robert Atkins | |
|---|---|
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| Member of the European Parliament forNorth West England | |
| In office 10 June 1999 – 2 July 2014 | |
| Preceded by | constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Steven Woolfe |
| Minister for Sport | |
| In office 1990–1992 | |
| Preceded by | Colin Moynihan |
| Succeeded by | Robert Key |
| Member of Parliament forSouth Ribble | |
| In office 9 June 1983 – 8 April 1997 | |
| Preceded by | constituency established |
| Succeeded by | David Borrow |
| Member of Parliament forPreston North | |
| In office 3 May 1979 – 13 May 1983 | |
| Preceded by | Ronald Atkins |
| Succeeded by | constituency abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Robert James Atkins (1946-02-05)5 February 1946 (age 79) London, England |
| Political party | Conservative |
Sir Robert James Atkins (born 5 February 1946) is a BritishConservative politician. He was theMember of Parliament (MP) forPreston North from 1979 to 1983, and then forSouth Ribble from 1983 to 1997. He served asMember of the European Parliament (MEP) for theNorth West England region from 1999 to 2014. He has served as a Councillor (Garstang Ward) on Wyre Borough Council since 2019.
Atkins was born on 5 February 1946 in London, England. He was educated atHighgate School, then anall-boysprivate school in Highgate, London.[1]
Atkins began his political career at a local level. He served as a councillor for theLondon Borough of Haringey from 1968 to 1977.
After unsuccessfully campaigning for the new seat ofLuton West inFebruary andOctober 1974, he was elected theMember of Parliament forPreston North from 1979 to 1983, and forSouth Ribble from 1983 to 1997. From 1984 to 1987 he was President ofConservative Trade Unionists. Parliamentary Private Secretary to Norman Lamont MP 1982-85 and then Lord Young of Grafham 1985-87. Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Industry (DTI) 1987-89. Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Roads & Traffic (DOT) 1989-90. Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Minister for Sport) (DOE & then D/Education) 1990-92. Minister of State (Northern Ireland) 1992-94. Minister of State for the Environment & Countryside (DOE) 1994-95. He was made a member of thePrivy Council in 1995 and knighted in 1997.
He later became aMember of the European Parliament for theNorth West England region in 1999. He was Deputy Leader of the Conservatives in the European Parliament until November 2007 and was Chief Whip there from November 2008 to November 2009. He was Conservative Spokesman on Industry and External Trade from 2001 to 2004, and was Spokesman on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism from 1999 to 2001.) He was a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Transport & Tourism Committee. He stood down at the 2014 European Elections.[2]
In 2019, he was elected as a councillor for theGarstang ward of theBorough of Wyre inLancashire.[3]
Atkins wasknighted in the 1997Dissolution Honours List in recognition of his service as a Member of Parliament, as Minister of State for Northern Ireland and as Minister of State for the Environment.[4] He is aFreeman of theCity of London.
Atkins is married to Dulcie Mary Atkins (b.1946), who is a fellow Conservative councillor inWyre, and who served as her husband's personal assistant during his tenure as an MEP.
Their daughterVictoria Atkins was elected at the2015 general election as the Conservative MP forLouth and Horncastle.[5] In November 2023 she was madeSecretary of State for Health and Social Care.
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forPreston North 1979 –1983 | Constituency abolished |
| New constituency | Member of Parliament forSouth Ribble 1983 –1997 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Minister for Sport 1990–1992 | Succeeded by |