Peter Atkinson

Infobox MP


honorific-prefix =
name = Peter Atkinson
honorific-suffix = MP
caption =
constituency_MP = Hexham
parliament =
term_start = 9 April 1992
term_end =
majority = 5,020 (12.1%)
predecessor = Alan Amos
successor =
birth_date = Birth date and age|1943|01|19|df=yes
birth_place = Corbridge, Northumberland
death_date =
death_place =
nationality = British
spouse = Brione Darley
party = Conservative
relations =
children = 2 daughters
residence =
alma_mater =
occupation =
profession =
religion =


website = http://www.peteratkinson.com/
footnotes =

Peter Atkinson (born 19 January 1943, Northumberland) is a British Conservative Party politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Hexham

Early life

Atkinson was educated at Cheltenham College and after leaving school he became a journalist ande joined the Newcastle Journal in November 1968. He moved to London to work on the Evening Standard as a reporter, eventually becoming News Editor.

In 1982 he left to join a free newspaper company which grew to fifteen titles. He left to become Deputy Director of the British Field Sports Society with responsibility for political and public affairs.

His political career began in 1978 when he was elected to Wandsworth Council. He left the Council in 1982 and became a member of Wandsworth Health Authority (1982-88)and later became a Suffolk County Councillor (1989-1992), until his election as MP for Hexham.

Parliamentary career

Atkinson was elected at the 1992 general election for the seat of Hexham with a majority of 13,438. At the 1997 election he was narrowly re-elected with a majority of just 222, but at the 2001 and 2005 elections his majority increased again, to 2,529 and 5,020 respectively.

From 1994-1997 Atkinson was a Parliamentary Private Secretary to a number of ministers in the Conservative government. Since 1997 he has alternated between serving on the [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/81942.stm Chairmen's Panel] and working in the Conservative whips office.

In 1995 Atkinson blocked a Private Members Bill on the live export of veal calves by reading from the London telephone directory in Parliament to use up all the debating time, a technique knnown as filibustering. [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19950204/ai_n13965249 The Independent - Tories block Bill to ban export trade (via FindArticles.com)] ] [ [http://www.chaos.org.uk/~maureen/vealbill.html Chaos.org.uk - Parliament fails to ban export of veal calves] ]

On 19 June 2008, Atkinson announced he would not stand at the next general election. [ [http://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/latest-north-east-news/Tory-MP-to-quit-at.4204655.jp Tory MP to quit at next election] , "Northumberland Gazette", 19 June 2008]

Personal life

Atkinson married Brione Darley in 1976 and they have two grown up daughters. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/vote2001/candidates/candidates/3/31901.stm BBC News - Vote 2001 - Peter Atkinson] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.peteratkinson.com/ Peter Atkinson MP] official site
* [http://www.epolitix.com/EN/MPWebsites/Peter+Atkinson/ ePolitix.com - Peter Atkinson MP]
* [http://politics.guardian.co.uk/person/0,,-158,00.html Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Peter Atkinson MP]
* [http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/peter_atkinson/hexham TheyWorkForYou.com - Peter Atkinson MP]
* [http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?mpn=Peter_Atkinson&mpc=Hexham The Public Whip - Peter Atkinson MP] voting record