Nicholas William Budgen (November 3, 1937–October 26, 1998) was a British politician. November 3 is the 307th day of the year (308th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 58 days remaining. ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... October 26 is the 299th day of the year (300th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 66 days remaining. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... A politician is an individual involved in politics. ...

Named after St. Nicholas Church in Newport, Shropshire of which his grandfather was priest (and later Dean of Lichfield Cathedral). Budgen was baptised at Lichfield Cathedral by Enoch Powell's grandfather. Nicholas Budgen was educated at St Edward's School in Oxford and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. During his National Service he rose to the rank of Captain in the Staffordshire Regiment. He became a barrister with Gray's Inn in 1962. Enoch Powell The Right Honourable John Enoch Powell MBE (June 16, 1912 – February 8, 1998) was a British politician. ... St Edwards School is a co-educational, independent school in north Oxford, England. ... Full name The College of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary in Cambridge Motto There is a toast, Floreat antiqua domus (May the old house flourish), from which the colleges nickname, Old House, is derived Named after The citys Guilds of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin... National Service was the name given to the system of military conscription employed in Great Britain between 1949 and 1960. ... History The Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales) or Staffords was formed in 1959 by the amalgamation of The South Staffordshire Regiment and the North Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales). The Staffords can trace their history back to 1705 when a regiment known as the 38th Foot was raised at Lichfield... Entrance to Grays Inn Grays Inn is one of the four Inns of Court in around the Royal Courts of Justice in London, England to which barristers belong and where they are called to the bar. ...

In the 1970 general election he stood for the Conservatives in Birmingham, Small Heath. In 1974, when the Conservative maverick Enoch Powell decided that he no longer wished to be a Conservative because of his anti-European views, only six weeks before the 1974 general election, Budgen was selected to stand for the Conservatives in Powell's old seat: Wolverhampton South West. The United Kingdom general election of 1970 was held on June 18, 1970, and resulted in a surprise loss of power for Labour under Harold Wilson, who was replaced as Prime Minister by the Conservative leader, Edward Heath. ... The Conservative Party is the largest political party on the right-of-centre in the United Kingdom. ... Birmingham Sparkbrook and Small Heath is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... Enoch Powell The Right Honourable John Enoch Powell MBE (June 16, 1912 – February 8, 1998) was a British politician. ... Wolverhampton South West is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ...

In 1975 he voted to remain in the Common Market. In 1981 he was made a Conservative whip, at the time a sure way of becoming a minister. In 1983, he effectively threw away his political career when he resigned as a whip over the government's Northern Ireland policy, commenting at the time that he "was not one of nature's policeman". However to compensate The Spectator magazine selected him as their 1984 Backbencher of the Year. His speeches in 1985 against the Anglo-Irish Agreement persuaded his cousin Ian Gow to resign as a minister from Margaret Thatcher's government. The European Community (EC), most important of three European Communities, was originally founded on March 25, 1957 by the signing of the Treaty of Rome under the name of European Economic Community. ... The Spectator is a conservative British political magazine, established 1828, published weekly. ... The Anglo-Irish Agreement was an agreement between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland which aimed to bring an end to the Troubles in Northern Ireland. ... Ian Gow (February 11, 1937–July 30, 1990) was a Conservative MP for Eastbourne, who was assassinated by the IRA. Gow, a member of Margaret Thatchers government was persuaded by the speeches of his cousin Nicholas Budgen to resign in 1985 as Minister of State in HM Treasury over... The Right Honourable Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925), is a British politician. ...

His real prominence came in the 1990's when he was one of the whipless eight; the Maastricht Rebels. He called for the Prime minister John Major to sack the then Chancellor Ken Clarke because Clarke had resuscitated the dying idea of the European Single Currency which was out of favour across the European Union at the time. The whipless eight had taken to having their own policy meetings, leading former Prime minister Edward Heath to describe them as "a party within a party". The Maastricht Rebels, along with accusations of sleaze, helped push the Conservative Party to the lowest point in the opinion polls in its history, to a mere 18 points from 46 points two-and-a-half year earlier. To Budgen the European question was an issue far more important than mere party loyalty. He had a contemptous attitude towards both party and his leaders, having the second most rebellious voting record in the House of Commons for the period from 1979 to 1997. He is quoted as saying "you know, this is a government you can push", he was acutely aware that John Major's government was reliant upon the right wing of its party because of its small majority in the House of Commons. To this end he helped lead a hardcore of approximately 50 rightwing Conservative Party MPs to hold the government to ransom in order to have their way on Northern Ireland and Europe among other things. His hardline on the Northern Ireland situation was perhaps stiffened by the IRA murder of his cousin Ian Gow MP, who bled to death in his wife's arms in 1990. He had a certain kudos amongst rightwingers not only for his intelligence but because he had been campaigning against the UK's gradual European drift since he resigned as a Whip in 1983. In the politics of the United Kingdom, the Maastricht Rebels were MPs of the then governing Conservative Party who refused to support the government of John Major in a House of Commons vote to secure ratification by the United Kingdom of the Maastricht treaty (Treaty on European Union). ... The Right Honourable Sir John Major, KG, CH (born 29 March 1943) is a twat who served in the Cabinets of Margaret Thatcher as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Foreign Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer before succeeding Thatcher as Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom... This article is about Kenneth Clarke the politician, not Kenneth Clark the art historian. ... The euro (symbol: €; banking code: EUR) is the currency of twelve European Union member states: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain, collectively known as the Eurozone. ... The Right Honourable Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG , MBE (July 9, 1916 – July 17, 2005), soldier and politician, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975. ... The Right Honourable Sir John Major, KG, CH (born 29 March 1943) is a twat who served in the Cabinets of Margaret Thatcher as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Foreign Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer before succeeding Thatcher as Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom... The Conservative Party is the largest political party on the right-of-centre in the United Kingdom. ... Ian Gow (February 11, 1937–July 30, 1990) was a Conservative MP for Eastbourne, who was assassinated by the IRA. Gow, a member of Margaret Thatchers government was persuaded by the speeches of his cousin Nicholas Budgen to resign in 1985 as Minister of State in HM Treasury over...

The day after a conciliatory article in The Times by Budgen, John Major returned the Conservative whip to the rebels. Additionally, of the whipless rebels, he was the only one to vote with the government on VAT on fuel in November 1994; the government were, however, defeated, forcing the then Chancellor Ken Clarke to return to Parliament with a "mini budget", an unprecedented event. Unlike most of the Maastricht rebels Budgen was against capital punishment. It was also Budgen who first muted the idea of a referendum on the European Single Currency in 1993, with his proposed European Currency (Referendum) Bill. The Times is a national newspaper published daily in the United Kingdom. ... In the politics of the United Kingdom, the Maastricht Rebels were MPs of the then governing Conservative Party who refused to support the government of John Major in a House of Commons vote to secure ratification by the United Kingdom of the Maastricht treaty (Treaty on European Union). ... Capital punishment, also referred to as the death penalty, is the execution of a convicted felon as a punishment for a crime (often called a capital offence or a capital crime). ...

Budgen was also a leading member of the Treasury Select Committee, who questioned every tax rise and attacked Ken Clarke as being "intellectually dishonest". It was his position on this committee that persuaded him that the Bank of England should be made independent of political interference, this led to his private members bill in 1996, an attempt to privatise the Bank of England. The bill failed; however, in 1997 when the Labour Party was in government, it made the Bank of England independent as one of its first measures. This article is about Kenneth Clarke the politician, not Kenneth Clark the art historian. ... The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom, sometimes known as The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street or The Old Lady. The Bank of England // Functions of the Bank It performs all the recognized functions of a central bank -- to maintain price stability, and subject to... The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom, sometimes known as The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street or The Old Lady. The Bank of England // Functions of the Bank It performs all the recognized functions of a central bank -- to maintain price stability, and subject to... The Labour Party is the principal centre-left political party in the United Kingdom (see British politics). ... The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom, sometimes known as The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street or The Old Lady. The Bank of England // Functions of the Bank It performs all the recognized functions of a central bank -- to maintain price stability, and subject to...

Budgen was also vociferous in protecting the rights of gun owners following the Dunblane massacre. His speech was described in the left-leaning Guardian newspaper by columnist Simon Hoggart as "one of the last great parliamentary speeches". The Dunblane bill created a situation where small calibre pistols were illegal in the UK, apart from a 3 week period in 2002 for the Commonwealth Games being held in Manchester, with the British team being forced to practice in France. The Dunblane massacre occurred at the primary school in the small town of Dunblane in central Scotland. ... The Guardian is a British newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. ... Current flag of the Commonwealth Games Federation The Commonwealth Games is a multi-sport event held every four years involving the elite athletes of the British Commonwealth. ...

In the run up to the 1997 election he played the race card in a vain attempt to keep his seat. In a boost to his anti-European and anti-immigration credentials he was endorsed by his predecessor Enoch Powell, who was famous for his "Rivers of Blood Speech". Due to his support for a referendum on the question of European integration, James Goldsmith's Referendum Party decided not to run a candidate against him. Budgen had in fact suggested to the seatless former Conservative Government minister Alan Clark that he should stand for the Referendum Party. He had said that the Conservatives "in the West Midlands will be running on alternative manifesto", presumably meaning with other local Maastricht Rebels, Christopher Gill (Ludlow) and Richard Shepherd (Aldridge & Brownhills). It should be noted that despite losing by a 9.9% swing from the Conservatives to Labour, of the 144 seats that Labour gained from the Conservatives it had the tenth joint lowest swing, being one of only 13 seats that changed hands with a swing in single figures. Enoch Powell The Right Honourable John Enoch Powell MBE (June 16, 1912 – February 8, 1998) was a British politician. ... On April 20, 1968, the British politician Enoch Powell made a controversial speech in Birmingham to the annual meeting of the West Midlands Conservative Political Centre, in which he warned his audience of what he believed would be the consequences of continued immigration from the Commonwealth to Britain. ... Sir James Goldsmith (1933 - 1997) was a British businessman and founder of the Euro-sceptic Referendum Party. ... The Referendum Party were a single-issue party in the United Kingdom formed to contest the 1997 General Election. ... Alan Kenneth Mackenzie Clark (April 13, 1928 - September 5, 1999) was a British Conservative politician, historian and diarist. ... The Referendum Party were a single-issue party in the United Kingdom formed to contest the 1997 General Election. ... Christopher Gill (born October 28, United Kingdom. ... Richard Charles Scrimgeour Shepherd (born 6 December 1942, Aberdeen) Educated at the London School of Economics and Johns Hopkins University is a politician in the United Kingdom. ...

Budgen was notoriously mean, letting others buy drinks for him or waiting at the bar until someone did and buying his suits from Oxfam. On his death over 40 horses were found on his farm, explaining why he always appeared so strapped for cash. Budgen was a keen huntsman, he had hunted in 29 of the UK's counties, and in his youth was well known in the hunting community for being a particularly fearless rider; he wrote regularly for Horse and Hound. Budgen was above all a man of principle, and an unrepetant rebel. He was noted as one of parliament's intellectuals and there is no doubt that, had he been prepared to sacrifice his principles, he could have achieved high office. Parliament was a much more colouful place with men like Budgen, who was described in the Commons by one former minister as being "worth ten placeman" and by the Daily Telegraph as the "late, great Nicholas Budgen". He seemed to take great joy in contuining Wolverhampton South West's feud (begun by Enoch Powell) with the representative for Old Bexley and Sidcup, Edward Heath heckling him at any opportunity. Powell had let it be known that he would refuse a peerage while Heath was still in the Commons, Heath refusing to retire from the Commons for so long as he thought Powell might have a chance of a peerage. Oxfam International, founded in 1995, is a confederation of 12 independent, not-for-profit, secular, community-based aid and development organisations who work with local partners in over 100 countries worldwide to reduce poverty, suffering, and injustice. ... This article deals with The Daily Telegraph in Britain, see The Daily Telegraph (Australia) for the Australian publication The Daily Telegraph is a British broadsheet newspaper founded in 1855. ... Enoch Powell The Right Honourable John Enoch Powell MBE (June 16, 1912 – February 8, 1998) was a British politician. ... Old Bexley and Sidcup is a UK parliamentary constituency situated wholly within the London Borough of Bexley. ... The Right Honourable Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG , MBE (July 9, 1916 – July 17, 2005), soldier and politician, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975. ...

Budgen was a witty and popular member of the house. He attempted to stand for the European Parliament along with the fellow euro-sceptic ex MPs Norman Lamont and Winston Churchill: all failed. Diagnosed with liver cancer and given only months to live he faced his fate matter of factly. Whilst on his death bed he rediscovered the Anglicanism of his youth and planned his funeral. His funeral service was near his Lichfield farm at Lichfield Cathedral, where he had been baptised and where his grandfather had been Dean; the eulogy was given by his close friend and fellow Maastricht rebel Richard Shepherd. The European Parliament is the parliamentary body of the European Union (EU), directly elected by EU citizens once every five years. ... The Right Honourable Norman Stewart Hughson Lamont, Baron Lamont of Lerwick, PC (born 1942) was Conservative MP for Kingston upon Thames from 1972 until 1997. ... The term Anglican describes those people and churches following the religious traditions of the Church of England, especially following the Reformation. ... Lichfield is a small city and civil parish in Staffordshire, 110 miles northwest of London and 14 miles north of Birmingham. ... Lichfield Cathedral is situated in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. ... Richard Charles Scrimgeour Shepherd (born 6 December 1942, Aberdeen) Educated at the London School of Economics and Johns Hopkins University is a politician in the United Kingdom. ...

Quotations

On the Downing Street Declaration which stated that Britain has "no selfish, strategic or economic interest" in maintaining the Union with Northern Ireland. Budgen asked John Major a very pertinent question - "Can I reassure my constituents that the United Kingdom has an interest in maintaining Wolverhampton in the Union?"

On the 1988 Budget, which caused the Lawson Bust - "It is the most irresponsible budget I have ever heard, it will be downhill from now on. In one fell swoop Mr Lawson has squandered five years of responsible economic management." Budgen was the only critic of the Budget at the time.

On supporting Douglas Hurd in the 1990 Conservative leadership contest: " it is the Conservative worker's fate to be betrayed by his leader, so we may at least be betrayed elegantly." Douglas Richard Hurd, Baron Hurd of Westwell, CH, CBE, PC (born March 8, 1930), is a senior British Conservative politician and novelist, who served in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major between 1979 and his retirement in 1995. ...

"If the Conservatives say beggars should be kicked once, then New Labour will say that beggars should be kicked twice."

"It would be my general feeling that the transference of power to Europe was so important a matter as to require a vote against any organisation and any party that wished to transfer that power."

On John Major: "he would make a reasonably competent head of a Wolverhampton Social Security office."

Predicting the course of a future Labour government: "If it [Labour] comes to power, those solid citizens will put pressure on the fresh-faced public school boy (Tony Blair) and we shall be back to the old story of an enormous public sector borrowing requirement, higher taxes and higher interest rates, and there will be no difference whatsoever in substance between the fresh-faced public school boy and all the old chaps who are in favour of old Labour." The Right Honourable Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service. ...

External links

• http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk_politics/newsid_201000/201623.stm