Martin Callanan

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This article is about the British Conservative Party politician. For details of Ireland's former Garda Commissioner, see Martin Callinan. For the British artist, see Martin John Callanan.
The Right Honourable
The Lord Callanan
Chairman of the European Conservatives and Reformists
In office
11 December 2011 – 12 June 2014
Preceded by Jan Zahradil
Succeeded by Syed Kamall
Leader of the Conservative Party in the European Parliament
In office
23 November 2010 – 1 March 2012
Preceded by Timothy Kirkhope
Succeeded by Richard Ashworth
Member of the European Parliament
for North East England
In office
10 June 1999 – 2 July 2014
Preceded by Constituency established
Succeeded by Jonathan Arnott
Personal details
Born (1961-08-08) 8 August 1961 (age 63)
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England
Political party Conservative
Alma mater Newcastle Polytechnic

Martin John Callanan, Baron Callanan (born 8 August 1961) is a British Conservative Party politician. He was Member of the European Parliament for North East England and Chairman of the European Conservatives and Reformists group from 1999 to 2014.[1] Callanan failed his bid to win re-election in the 2014 European Parliament elections, becoming the first ever sitting chairman of a European parliamentary group to lose his seat.[2] On 8 August 2014, it was announced that he will be made a Conservative life peer in the House of Lords.[3]

Early life

Callanan was born on 8 August 1961 in Newcastle upon Tyne.[4] In 1985,[4] he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree (BSc) in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Newcastle Polytechnic.[5]

Political career

Local Councillor

Callanan was a Conservative Councillor on Tyne and Wear County Council between 1983 and 1986 (when the council was abolished) and Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council between 1987 and 1996. He was the last Conservative to win an election in Gateshead. He worked as a project engineer at Scottish and Newcastle breweries from 1986 to 1998, when he was elected to the European Parliament.[4]

He unsuccessfully stood as a parliamentary candidate for Washington (in the 1987 election), Gateshead East (in the 1992 election), and Tynemouth (in the 1997 election).[6]

Member of European Parliament

He was a Member of the European Parliament for the North East England constituency from 1999, re-elected in 2004 and 2009.[7] In December 2011, he became the leader of the European Conservatives and Reformists group in the Parliament; as a leader of a parliamentary group, he had a seat in the political leadership of the European Parliament, the Conference of Presidents.[8]

He was a member of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, and was also member of the two European Parliament's committee on the environment, public health and food safety (ENVI).[8] Callanan is a regular contributor to ConservativeHome, writing a monthly report.[9]

Callanan failed his bid to win re-election in the 2014 European Parliament elections, becoming the first ever sitting chairman of a European parliamentary group to lose his seat.[2]

Callanan was created a Life Peer on 24 September 2014 taking the title Baron Callanan, of Low Fell in the County of Tyne and Wear.[10]

Personal life

Callanan vehemently opposed the erection of the "Angel of the North" sculpture by Antony Gormley.[11] Martin has a wife, Jayne and a son, Joe.

References

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External links

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