Jacqueline Foster
Encyclopedia
Jacqueline Foster is a British
Conservative
politician and company director, and Member of the European Parliament
for the North West England
region.
and educated at Prescot Girls' Grammar School. In 1969 she joined British European Airways
' cabin services; remaining with the merged British Airways
after 1974. She was a member of the Transport and General Workers' Union
and from 1976 to 1979 served as trade union representative for cabin crew. In 1975 she married Peter Foster, but they divorced in 1981.
That same year, Foster left British Airways to be Area Manager (Austria) for Horizon Tours, a holiday company. After four years she returned to British Airways, again as cabin crew. In 1989, she was one of the founder members of Cabin Crew '89, an independent trade union
which broke away from the TGWU, and served on the union executive.
; she was Vice Chairman of Twickenham
Conservative Association. In the 1992 general election
, she was the Conservative candidate in Newham South
, a Labour-held seat in east London. Against the national trend, Foster cut the Labour majority. She was shortlisted as candidate for Eastleigh in the byelection of 1994
but lost out in selection.
After failing to be reelected to the European Parliament
in 2004, She set up her own firm of aviation consultants, Foster Jay Ltd., of which she became managing director. At the 2005 Conservative Party conference she declared her opposition to all-woman shortlists.
in the selection for Bromley and Chislehurst. In August 1996 she succeeded in being selected for Peterborough
, where sitting Conservative MP Brian Mawhinney
was moving to the adjacent seat. She moved to Peterborough
to fight the campaign; she was among the conservative candidates at that election who declared their personal opposition to the single European currency
, but was defeated by Labour candidate Helen Brinton
.
as fifth on their list. She won the last seat available on the list system.
to make regular increases in the tolls for the tunnels, and to spend the money on transport elsewhere in Merseyside.
In 2002 Foster acted as rapporteur for a recommendation that airport staff be security screened when entering secure areas. The European Parliament
agreed but the European Council of Ministers put off negotiations due to opposition by the governments of the Netherlands
, Austria
, Finland
and Germany
. She supported moves to require airlines to compensate passengers 'bumped' from flights. In March 2003 she pointed out a loophole in laws requiring children to weat seatbelts, which did not apply on school buses.
In 2009 she was placed third on the Conservative list for the North West region in the European Parliament election
and was elected once again as an MEP, with the Conservatives winning three seats for a second time.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician and company director, and Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
for the North West England
North West England (European Parliament constituency)
North West England is a constituency of the European Parliament. For the 2009 elections it elects 8 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.-Boundaries:...
region.
Early career
Foster was born in LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and educated at Prescot Girls' Grammar School. In 1969 she joined British European Airways
British European Airways
British European Airways or British European Airways Corporation was a British airline which existed from 1946 until 1974. The airline operated European and North African routes from airports around the United Kingdom...
' cabin services; remaining with the merged British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
after 1974. She was a member of the Transport and General Workers' Union
Transport and General Workers' Union
The Transport and General Workers' Union, also known as the TGWU and the T&G, was one of the largest general trade unions in the United Kingdom and Ireland - where it was known as the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union - with 900,000 members...
and from 1976 to 1979 served as trade union representative for cabin crew. In 1975 she married Peter Foster, but they divorced in 1981.
That same year, Foster left British Airways to be Area Manager (Austria) for Horizon Tours, a holiday company. After four years she returned to British Airways, again as cabin crew. In 1989, she was one of the founder members of Cabin Crew '89, an independent trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
which broke away from the TGWU, and served on the union executive.
Political involvement
Foster combined her trade union activities with active membership of the Conservative PartyConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
; she was Vice Chairman of Twickenham
Twickenham (UK Parliament constituency)
Twickenham is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
Conservative Association. In the 1992 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
, she was the Conservative candidate in Newham South
Newham South (UK Parliament constituency)
Newham South was a parliamentary constituency in the London Borough of Newham, in east London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-History:...
, a Labour-held seat in east London. Against the national trend, Foster cut the Labour majority. She was shortlisted as candidate for Eastleigh in the byelection of 1994
Eastleigh by-election, 1994
The Eastleigh by-election, 1994 was a parliamentary by-election held on 9 June 1994 for the United Kingdom House of Commons constituency of Eastleigh in Hampshire. The seat had fallen vacant because of the death of Conservative Party Member of Parliament Stephen Milligan on 7 February.The result...
but lost out in selection.
After failing to be reelected to the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
in 2004, She set up her own firm of aviation consultants, Foster Jay Ltd., of which she became managing director. At the 2005 Conservative Party conference she declared her opposition to all-woman shortlists.
1997 election
She continued to look for selection and in November 1995 was narrowly beaten by Eric ForthEric Forth
Eric Forth was a British politician. He was the Conservative Member of the European Parliament for Birmingham North, then Member of Parliament for Mid Worcestershire and finally Bromley and Chislehurst at his death. He served as a junior minister in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John...
in the selection for Bromley and Chislehurst. In August 1996 she succeeded in being selected for Peterborough
Peterborough (UK Parliament constituency)
Peterborough is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, formally styled The Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past...
, where sitting Conservative MP Brian Mawhinney
Brian Mawhinney
Brian Stanley Mawhinney, Baron Mawhinney PC is a British Conservative Party politician. He was a member of the Cabinet from 1994 until 1997 and a Member of Parliament from 1979 until 2005.-Early life:...
was moving to the adjacent seat. She moved to Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
to fight the campaign; she was among the conservative candidates at that election who declared their personal opposition to the single European currency
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
, but was defeated by Labour candidate Helen Brinton
Helen Clark (UK politician)
Helen Rosemary Clark, previously known as Helen Brinton, is a politician in the United Kingdom...
.
Election
At the 1999 European Parliament election, Foster was selected by Conservatives in the North WestNorth West England (European Parliament constituency)
North West England is a constituency of the European Parliament. For the 2009 elections it elects 8 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.-Boundaries:...
as fifth on their list. She won the last seat available on the list system.
Work as an MEP
In her first term she joined the Industry committee and the Transport (Aviation) Committee, and was Conservative group spokesman on transport from 2001. Foster tried to seek a ruling under European transport directives that the Mersey Tunnels Bill was illegal; the Bill allowed the Merseyside Passenger Transport ExecutiveMerseyside Passenger Transport Executive
The Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive is the Passenger Transport Executive responsible for the coordination of public transport in the metropolitan county of Merseyside, England...
to make regular increases in the tolls for the tunnels, and to spend the money on transport elsewhere in Merseyside.
In 2002 Foster acted as rapporteur for a recommendation that airport staff be security screened when entering secure areas. The European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
agreed but the European Council of Ministers put off negotiations due to opposition by the governments of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. She supported moves to require airlines to compensate passengers 'bumped' from flights. In March 2003 she pointed out a loophole in laws requiring children to weat seatbelts, which did not apply on school buses.
Defeat and Reelection
Foster was reselected to fight the 2004 European Parliament election in fourth position on the Conservative list, so was not re elected when the Conservatives won only three seats.In 2009 she was placed third on the Conservative list for the North West region in the European Parliament election
European Parliament election, 2009 (United Kingdom)
The European Parliament election was the United Kingdom's component of the 2009 European Parliament election, the voting for which was held on Thursday 4 June 2009, coinciding with the 2009 local elections in England. Most of the results of the election were announced on Sunday 7 June, after...
and was elected once again as an MEP, with the Conservatives winning three seats for a second time.