Mike Weatherley
Encyclopedia
Michael 'Mike' Richard Weatherley (born 2 July 1957) is a British Conservative Party
politician who has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Hove
in East Sussex
, since winning the seat in the 2010 general election.
. He then graduated in business studies from London South Bank University
and is a chartered management accountant. He professes a keen interest in live music and was finance director of record producer Pete Waterman
's group of businesses.
In 2007 he became Vice President (Europe) for the Motion Picture Licensing Company.
in the safe Labour
seat of Barking
in east London. He also unsuccessfully contested a council seat in Brighton and Hove in 2003. In the 2005 general election
, Weatherley was Conservative parliamentary candidate for Brighton, Pavilion, the seat adjacent to Hove. In the event, the seat was held by the incumbent Labour MP, David Lepper
with a majority of over 5,000.
Weatherley then secured a seat on his local Crawley Borough Council,
defeating the Labour candidate, former Big Brother contestant Eugene Sully. In 2006, he was then selected by Hove Conservatives as their candidate. He was finally successful in entering parliament when he defeated sitting Labour MP Celia Barlow
, overturning her narrow 2005 winning margin of just 420 votes.
Since being elected in May 2010, Mike has been actively campaigning against the repeal of the 2004 Hunting Act. Mike has stated that, "hunting foxes with hounds is a cruel and inhumane practice" and has pledged to vote against any measure which would lead to the ban being overturned. Mike has been actively campaigning against the implementation of the Tobacco Display Ban. He has said that the ban is a badly planned piece of legislation and is concerned that it would damage trade for small businesses. He has written to the Prime Minister in favour of giving same-sex couples equal marriage rights and force religious organizations to register such ceremonies, which has caused controversy.
Mike is the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Business and Retail Crime, along with various other APPGs.
In June 2010, Weatherley's second wife, Brazilian-born Carla Weatherley, was revealed to be working as a prostitute when married (although separated at the time) to Mike Weatherley. Weatherley has expressed his shock at the revelation, and has stated that they had separated in February 2010.
Mike's main passion outside work and politics is rock music. In his spare time he watches bands perform live in local venues and in his Maiden Speech he pledged that he would wear an Iron Maiden T-shirt in the Chamber.
Mike is a keen cyclist. He has participated in the London to Brighton bike ride and has successfully completed a 100 mile charity bike ride along the Nile in Egypt with 44 other cyclists, together raising £230,000 for Childline and Nordoff Robbins.
He is a qualified ski instructor and football referee and former centre-forward of the Martha Gunners.
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 who has been the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Hove
Hove (UK Parliament constituency)
Hove 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...
in East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
, since winning the seat in the 2010 general election.
Before politics
Mike attended Kent CollegeKent College
Kent College, Canterbury is a co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils between the ages of 11 and 18. It was founded in 1885, and is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference....
. He then graduated in business studies from London South Bank University
London South Bank University
London South Bank University is a university in south London. With over 25,000 students and 1,700 staff, it is based in the London Borough of Southwark, near the South Bank of the River Thames, from which it takes its name...
and is a chartered management accountant. He professes a keen interest in live music and was finance director of record producer Pete Waterman
Pete Waterman
Peter Alan Waterman OBE is an English record producer, occasional songwriter, radio and club DJ, television presenter, president of Coventry Bears rugby league club and a keen railway enthusiast. As a member of the Stock Aitken Waterman songwriting team he wrote and produced many hit singles...
's group of businesses.
In 2007 he became Vice President (Europe) for the Motion Picture Licensing Company.
Political career
Weatherley's first parliamentary contest was in 2001United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
in the safe Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
seat of Barking
Barking (UK Parliament constituency)
Barking is a 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. It has elected Labour MPs since its creation in 1945, usually with strong majorities.- Boundaries :The...
in east London. He also unsuccessfully contested a council seat in Brighton and Hove in 2003. In the 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
, Weatherley was Conservative parliamentary candidate for Brighton, Pavilion, the seat adjacent to Hove. In the event, the seat was held by the incumbent Labour MP, David Lepper
David Lepper
David Lepper is a British Labour Co-operative politician who was the Member of Parliament for Brighton Pavilion from 1997 to 2010.-Non-political life:...
with a majority of over 5,000.
Weatherley then secured a seat on his local Crawley Borough Council,
defeating the Labour candidate, former Big Brother contestant Eugene Sully. In 2006, he was then selected by Hove Conservatives as their candidate. He was finally successful in entering parliament when he defeated sitting Labour MP Celia Barlow
Celia Barlow
Celia Anne Barlow is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Hove from 2005 to 2010.-Early life:Barlow was born in Cardiff, Wales, and attended King Edward High School for Girls in Birmingham...
, overturning her narrow 2005 winning margin of just 420 votes.
Since being elected in May 2010, Mike has been actively campaigning against the repeal of the 2004 Hunting Act. Mike has stated that, "hunting foxes with hounds is a cruel and inhumane practice" and has pledged to vote against any measure which would lead to the ban being overturned. Mike has been actively campaigning against the implementation of the Tobacco Display Ban. He has said that the ban is a badly planned piece of legislation and is concerned that it would damage trade for small businesses. He has written to the Prime Minister in favour of giving same-sex couples equal marriage rights and force religious organizations to register such ceremonies, which has caused controversy.
Mike is the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Business and Retail Crime, along with various other APPGs.
Personal life
Weatherley has two sons and a daughter with his first wife .In June 2010, Weatherley's second wife, Brazilian-born Carla Weatherley, was revealed to be working as a prostitute when married (although separated at the time) to Mike Weatherley. Weatherley has expressed his shock at the revelation, and has stated that they had separated in February 2010.
Mike's main passion outside work and politics is rock music. In his spare time he watches bands perform live in local venues and in his Maiden Speech he pledged that he would wear an Iron Maiden T-shirt in the Chamber.
Mike is a keen cyclist. He has participated in the London to Brighton bike ride and has successfully completed a 100 mile charity bike ride along the Nile in Egypt with 44 other cyclists, together raising £230,000 for Childline and Nordoff Robbins.
He is a qualified ski instructor and football referee and former centre-forward of the Martha Gunners.
External links
- http://www.mikeweatherleymp.com/ — Weatherley's website
- Page for Weatherley on Conservative Party site