Members Of Parliament in Brighton - The Argus

MPs: Simon Kirby MP; Caroline Lucas MP; Keith Taylor MEP;

Brighton, Kemptown (House of Commons)

Mr Simon Kirby MP (Conservative)

Surgery: 370 South Coast Road
Telscombe Cliffs
East Susssex
BN10 7ES

Surgery Tel: 01273 589178

MP Since - 2010 Majority - 1,328 Born - 22/12/1964. Married (Elizabeth), 4 sons, 2 daughters).
Education - Hastings Grammar School. Open University (BSc Mathematical Modelling).

Previous Occupation - Has run several Brighton businesses, including C-Side (a leisure company owning pubs, clubs and a gymnasium in Brighton).

Personal Overview - Is a successful and well known Brighton businessman, having co-founded leisure company C-Side in 1993, which was later sold for £15m in 2001, at the time it had 28 pubs in Brighton, employing a large number of people. Also has political experience as a long serving Councillor at both a County and City level. As a portfolio holder for Regeneration at East Sussex County Council he was involved in attracting funding into Newhaven. Was also involved in setting up the Brighton radio station 'Juice FM' and was active in the successful local campaign for City status for Brighton.

Political History - Councillor, Brighton Borough Council and Brighton & Hove Council (1996-99). Councillor, Mid Sussex District Council (1999-2001). Councillor, East Sussex County Council (Kemptown ward) (1992-93, 2005-2009), former Cabinet member for Regeneration. MP Brighton Kemptown (2010-). Member of the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee (2010-). Member of the Environmental Audit Select Committee (2010-11). Member of the Administration Select Committee (2011-).

Characteristics - Supports Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club. Has been a school governor in Telscombe Cliffs.

Business Tel: 020 7219 3000

Email: simon.kirby.mp@parliament.uk

Mr Simon Kirby MP (Conservative) on Twitter

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Interests: Business & Finance,Health,Leisure Industry,Local Government

Commitee membership

• Administration Committee (Member)
• Business, Innovation and Skills Committee (Member)
• United Kingdom Falkland Islands Group (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group on HIV and AIDS (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group on Infertility (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary British-Latin America Group (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary Save the Pub Group (Member)
• Thameslink Route Group (Member)

Brighton, Pavilion (House of Commons)

Ms Caroline Lucas MP (Green)

Surgery: Brighton Media Centre
15-17 Middle Street
Brighton
BN1 1AA

Surgery Tel: 01273 201130

MP Since - 2010 Majority - 1,252 Born - 09/12/1960. Married, 2 sons.
Education - Malvern Girl's College; University of Exeter (BA, PhD); Kansas University, United States.
Previous Occupation - Press Officer Green Party (1987-89), Oxfam Press Officer (1989-91), Oxfam Asia Desk (1991-93), Policy Advisor (Trade & Environment 1993-98), Policy Team Leader (1998-99).

Personal Overview - Captured this potential four way marginal seat in 2010. Likely to be a pragmatic and modernising Green Party member and seems willing to deal with other parties and business. She has media experience representing the party and has appeared on both TV and Radio. In terms of policy, she is likely to favour the introduction of 'Green' Taxes, Nuclear Disarmament and a basic citizen income, and is knowledgeable on trade and globalisation issues. She has also supported the idea that a sustainable local economy for business is needed for a healthy local environment. On Europe she has followed the generally Euro-sceptic Green Party line, favouring reform of the European Commission, opposing European Monetary Union, but also supporting more power for the European Parliament. In the longer term she appears to favour further reform of the British Electoral system towards Proportional Representation. This in the hope that the Green Party will be able to play a role in Government, as is the case in several continental European countries. She announced that she would be standing down as Party Leader in September 2012 to enable someone else in the party to gain a higher profile.

Political History - Green Party: National Press Officer (1987-89), Co-Chair (1989-90), Member of the Regional Council (1997-99), Leader (2008-12). Councillor, Oxfordshire County Council (1993-97). MEP South East Region (1999-2010). Vice-chair, ACP-EU Joint Assembly (1999-2003). MP Brighton Pavilion (2010-). Member of the Environmental Audit Select Committee (2010-).

Characteristics - Member of Friends of the Earth, New Economics Foundation and the Bulma Action Group. Has had TV/Radio experience, including BBC/ITN News & the Today Programme. Author of Reforming World Trade (The Social & Environmental Priorities) (1996). Was a student member of CND. Co-wrote the Green Party Report 'Act Local, Act Global' - Greening the EU.

Business Tel: 020 7219 3000

Email: caroline.lucas.mp@parliament.uk

Ms Caroline Lucas MP (Green) on Twitter

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Interests: Environment,Overseas Development,General Trade & Industry,Media,Housing,Regional Policy,Health,Globalisation,Small Business,Transport,Animal Welfare,Poverty,Conservation

Commitee membership

• Environmental Audit Committee (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group on Agro-Ecology (Member)
• Animal Welfare (Associate Group) (Vice Chairman)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group for Biodiversity (Vice Chairman)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group for Children (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary Climate Change Group (Secretary)
• Coastal and Marine Group (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group on Connecting Communities (Member)
• Digital Economy Group (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group on Domestic and Sexual Violence (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary Environment Group (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary Fuel Poverty and Energy Efficiency Group (Chairman)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group for Gypsy Roma Travellers (Vice Chairman)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group on HIV and AIDS (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group for Hockey (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary Housing and Planning Group (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group for Intelligent Energy (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group on International Corporate Responsibility: Business, Human Rights and the Environment (Vice Chairman)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Development and the Environment (Chairman)
• Islamic Finance and Diversity in Financial Markets (Associate Group) (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group on Islamophobia (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary Libel Reform Group (Member)
• Britain-Palestine Group (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group on Peak Oil and Gas (Vice Chairman)
• Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group (Associate Group) (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group on Sustainable Housing (Vice Chairman)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group for Tribal Peoples (Treasurer)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group on Wellbeing Economics (Secretary)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group for Women in Parliament (Member)

South East (European Parliament)

Mr Keith Taylor MEP (Green)

MEP Since - 2010 Born - 01/08/1953. Partner (Lizzie).
Education - N/a.
Previous Occupation - Worked in sales (1972-1980). Self-employed/Co-Director of a local business (1980-1999). Regional Liaison Officer for Caroline Lucas MEP (2002-2007).

Personal Overview - Replaced the outgoing Caroline Lucas here in June 2010 after she was successful in her bid to become the Green party's first MP at Westminster. He is an experienced Councillor, having led the Green Group in Brighton for a number of years. He has also shown an interest in foreign affairs issues, as a Councillor was active in campaigning to secure the release of Brighton resident Omar Degayes from the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. He has also been involved in High Court action supporting families with Autistic children. Within the party, he has been a spokesperson on planning and regeneration as well as a Principal Speaker at the time when the party had not adopted a single leader. He has also been involved in policy development with the party election manifesto. Locally, he he is likely to have gained a good knowledge of his electoral region through his work for his predecessor.

Political History - Councillor, Brighton and Hove City Council (1999-2010). Green Group Leader (2001-08). Chair, Association of Green Councillors (2001-2002). Principal Speaker for the Green Party of England & Wales (2004-2006). Regeneration Spokesperson (2008-10). MEP South East Region (2010-). Member of the Afghanistan Delegation (2010-), Substitute member of the Palestinian Legislative Council (2010-) and the Iran Delegation (2010-). Member of the International Trade Committee (2010-) and the Transport and Tourism Committee (2010-). Substitute member of the Petitions Committee (2010-).

Other Information - Has been a Vice President of the UK’s Local Government Association Group in the European Parliament. Former representative for Brighton and Hove on the UN Peace Messenger City project and a City representative to the Local Government Association.

Intergroups - Member of the LGBT Rights Group.

Business Tel: +32 (0)2 28 45153

Email: keith.taylor@europarl.europa.eu

Interests: Environment,Economic Regeneration,Womans Issues,Regional Policy,Conservation

Commitee membership

• Petitions (Substitute)
• Transport & Tourism (Member)
• International Trade (Member)

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