Graham Watson

Infobox Officeholder
name =Graham Watson
honorific-suffix =MEP


imagesize =
small

caption =
office1 =Leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Group
term_start1 =13 July 2004
term_end1 =
predecessor1 =group formed
successor1 =
constituency_MP2 =South West England and Gibraltar
parliament2 = European
term_start2 =19 July 2004
term_end2 =
predecessor2 =new constituency
office3 =Leader of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party Group
term_start3 =6 January 2002
term_end3 =13 July 2004
predecessor3 =Pat Cox
successor3 =group dissolved
constituency_MP4 =South West England
parliament4 = European
term_start4 =20 July 1999
term_end4 =18 July 2004
predecessor4 =new constituency
successor4 =constituency abolished
constituency_MP5 =Somerset and North Devon
parliament5 = European
term_start5 =18 July 1994
term_end5 =20 July 1999
majority5 =22,500
predecessor5 =new constituency
successor5 =constituency abolished
birth_date =birth date and age|1956|03|23
birth_place =flagicon|United Kingdom Rothesay, United Kingdom
nationality =British
party =Liberal Democrats / ELDR
spouse =Rita Watson
children =1 daughter and 1 son
residence =Langport, United Kingdom
alma_mater =Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh
occupation =Politician
profession =Interpreter, Banker, Politician
religion =


website =http://www.grahamwatsonmep.org
footnotes =

Graham Watson MEP (born 23 March 1956) is a European politician from the United Kingdom. He has served as a Member of the European Parliament for South West England since 1994 and leader of the liberal group in Parliament since 2002.cite web|title=Biography: Graham Watson MEP|publisher=Graham Watson MEP website|url=http://www.grahamwatsonmep.org.uk/pages/biography.html|accessdate=2007-10-07]

Early life

Graham Watson was born in Rothesay on the Isle of Bute (Scotland, United Kingdom). His father was an officer in the Royal Navy and his mother a teacher. Watson was educated at the City of Bath Boys' School in Somerset. He later returned to Scotland to attend the Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh where he graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Arts in modern languages. This allowed him to work as an interpreter between 1979 and 1980,cite web|title=MEP Profile: Graham Watson|publisher=European Parliament|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/members/expert/groupAndCountry/view.do?partNumber=1&group=1550&country=GB&language=EN&id=2155|accessdate=2007-10-07] he now speaks four European languages. After 1980 he worked as an administrator at Paisley College until 1983.

Watson had begun his political activity when he joined the International Federation of Liberal Youth, becoming a vice-president (1977) then General Secretary (1979) of the organisation. He was a founder of the European Communities' Youth Forum. He became a council member of the Party of European Liberals and Democrats between 1983 and 1993. Between 1983 and 1987 he also served as head of the private office of then leader of the British Liberal Party, Sir David Steel.

Following his work with Steel, then began work for the bank HSBC in London and Hong Kong. His work there included three months with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and gave him an interest in the Far East, he is now an adviser to the "Asia Pacific Public Affairs Forum".

European Parliament

Immediately after his work with HSBC, he returned to the Liberal Democrats for the 1994 European Parliamentary election. He was elected for Somerset and North Devon with a majority of over 22,500. Watson, along with Robin Teverson for "Cornwall and West Plymouth",cite web|last=Cracknell|first=Richard|coauthors=Bryn Morgan|title=European Parliament Elections 1979 to 1994|date=1999-06-02|publisher =House of Commons Library|url=http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp99/rp99-057.pdf|format=PDF|accessdate=2007-10-07] became the first liberals returned from a British constituency to serve in the European Parliament. Watson and Teverson sat with the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (ELDR) Group. During this term, Watson served on two committees; the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy and the Committee on Budgets, and acted as whip for the ELDR group until 1996.

Fifth term

In 1999 the introduction of proportional representation in the UK for European elections meant Watson's constituency was abolished in favour of a larger multi-member constituency encompassing South West England. The South West constituency would later also include Gibraltar in 2004. Watson was re-elected in this constituency as the sole liberal member during the 1999 European Parliamentary election. He had gained 171,398 votes, 15.7% of the total behind both Labour and the Conservatives (1 and 4 seats respectively).cite web|title=European Election Results For South West England|publisher =Graham Watson MEP website|url=http://www.grahamwatsonmep.org.uk/results/669.html|accessdate=2007-10-07] During this term he led the British liberals in the parliament and between 1999 to 2002 he held the chair of the Committee on Citizens' Freedoms and Rights, Justice and Home Affairs.

During this parliamentary term the ELDR Group were in coalition with the European People's Party–European Democrats (EPP–ED).cite web|title=Interview: Graham Watson, leader of group of Liberal Democrat MEPs|url=http://www.euractiv.com/en/elections/interview-graham-watson-leader-group-liberal-democrat-meps/article-128543|publisher=Euractiv|date=2004-06-15|accessdate=2007-11-01] As per a usual agreement between the majority alliance, the term of President of the European Parliament is split between the two parties, giving the then-leader of the ELDR Group, Pat Cox MEP, the Presidency from 2002.cite web|title = European Parliament elects new president |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/398892.stm|publisher=BBC News|date=1999-07-20|accessdate=2007-11-01] When he took up the post, Watson was elected to succeed him as leader of the ELDR Group.

ixth term

Watson was re-elected once more following the 2004 European Parliamentary election with 265,619 votes (18.3%) behind the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) with 326,784 votes (22.6% giving two seats) and the Conservatives with 457,371 votes (31.6% giving three seats). Labour had fallen behind the Liberals to 209,908 votes (14.5%) but still retained one seat.cite web|title=European Election Results For South West England|publisher =Graham Watson MEP website|url=http://www.grahamwatsonmep.org.uk/results/681.html|accessdate=2007-10-07]

Following the election, the ELDR entered into an alliance with the newly formed European Democratic Party to form the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe. The ALDE group replaced the ELDR group (though ELDR and EDP exist as separate parties outside the Parliament) and Watson was elected leader of the new ALDE group which was the largest group ever established in the Parliament outside of the European People's Party and Party of European Socialists.cite web|title=The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe is born|date=2004-07-14|publisher=Graham Watson MEP website|url=http://www.grahamwatsonmep.org/news/000017/the_alliance_of_liberals_and_democrats_for_europe_is_born.html|accessdate=2007-10-07]

In 2007 Watson addressed the ELDR congress stating he wished to break the current left-right grand coalition.cite web|last=Jones|first=Chris|title=Watson kicks off EU election campaign|url=http://www.theparliament.com/EN/News/200710/ccc7ff07-5f5d-4e6a-acc9-9b9236544132.htm|publisher=The Parliament Magazine|date=2007-10-19|accessdate=2007-11-01] He had previously been critical of this and welcomed the centre-right alliance his group had formed for the fifth term. Watson liked the Socialists to poodles of the People's Party in their alliance. He cited in contrast the strength of the ALDE group in the Parliament and the Commission and that after 2009, the liberals would have strong candidates for the Commission. He also stated that the party would be moving towards Europe-wide campaigning rather than separate national campaigns.

Other activities and family

Watson now lives in Langport, Somerset, with his wife and two children. His wife, Rita, is from Italycite web|title=Graham's blog entry 31 August 2007|date=2007-08-31|publisher=Graham Watson MEP website|url=http://www.grahamwatsonmep.org/articles/000059/grahams_blog_entry_31_august_2007.html|accessdate=2007-10-07] and their children, one daughter called Frederica and one son called Gregory,cite web|title=Photo Gallery|date=2007-08-31|publisher=Graham Watson MEP website|url=http://www.grahamwatsonmep.org.uk/photos/|accessdate=2007-10-07] were born in 1992 and 1995 respectively. He also has a dog called Brillig. Watson enjoys sailing and jazz music. Since 1999 he has been editor of "The Parliament Magazine".

Bibliography

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References

External links

* [http://www.grahamwatsonmep.org.uk/ Graham Watson MEP] , official site
* [http://www.europarl.eu.int/members/expert/groupAndCountry/view.do?partNumber=1&group=1550&country=GB&language=EN&id=2155 MEP Profile of Graham Watson] , European Parliament
* [http://www.alde.eu/index.php?id=watson Biographical details: Graham Watson MEP] , ALDE
* [http://www.libdems.org.uk/people/graham-watson Graham Watson Profile] , UK Liberal Democrats
* [http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=aldeadle Speeches by members of ALDE] , YouTube
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASZ2DdoS4U4 Graham Watson, a Liberal in Bagehot's Footsteps (documentary on work and motivations)] , YouTube