Preceded by Jan Zahradil Name Martin Callanan Succeeded by Syed Kamall Alma mater Newcastle Polytechnic Party Conservative Party | Political party Conservative Education Northumbria University Preceded by Timothy Kirkhope Role British Politician | |
 | ||
Preceded by Constituency established Born 8 August 1961 (age 62)
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England ( 1961-08-08 ) | ||
Martin callanan debates with greek prime minister grand federalist dreams lead to nightmares
Martin John Callanan, Baron Callanan (born 8 August 1961) is a British Conservative Party politician and UK Government Minister. He was Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for North East England and Chairman of the European Conservatives and Reformists group from 1999 to 2014. Callanan failed his bid to win re-election in the 2014 European Parliament elections, becoming the first ever sitting chairman of a European parliamentary group to lose his seat. On 8 August 2014, it was announced that he would be made a Conservative life peer in the House of Lords.
Contents
- Martin callanan debates with greek prime minister grand federalist dreams lead to nightmares
- Martin callanan mep speech to conservative party conference 2013
- Early life
- Local Councillor
- Member of European Parliament
- Personal life
- References
Following the 2017 general election, Lord Callanan was appointed as a Government Minister and Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department for Transport.
Martin callanan mep speech to conservative party conference 2013
Early life
Callanan was born on 8 August 1961 in Newcastle upon Tyne. In 1985, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree (BSc) in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Newcastle Polytechnic.
Local Councillor
Callanan was a Conservative Councillor on Tyne and Wear County Council between 1983 and 1986 (when the council was abolished) and Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council between 1987 and 1996. He was the last Conservative to win an election in Gateshead. He worked as a project engineer at Scottish and Newcastle breweries from 1986 to 1998, when he was elected to the European Parliament.
He unsuccessfully stood as a parliamentary candidate for Washington (in the 1987 election), Gateshead East (in the 1992 election), and Tynemouth (in the 1997 election).
Member of European Parliament
He was a Member of the European Parliament for the North East England constituency from 1999, re-elected in 2004 and 2009. In December 2011, he became the leader of the European Conservatives and Reformists group in the Parliament; as a leader of a parliamentary group, he had a seat in the political leadership of the European Parliament, the Conference of Presidents.
He was a member of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, and was also member of the two European Parliament's committee on the environment, public health and food safety (ENVI). Callanan is a regular contributor to ConservativeHome, writing a monthly report.
Callanan failed his bid to win re-election in the 2014 European Parliament elections, becoming the first ever sitting chairman of a European parliamentary group to lose his seat.
Callanan was created a Life Peer on 24 September 2014 taking the title Baron Callanan, of Low Fell in the County of Tyne and Wear.
Personal life
Callanan vehemently opposed the erection of the "Angel of the North" sculpture by Antony Gormley. Martin has a wife, Jayne and a son, Joe.