Nick Palmer

Nick Palmer
Member of Parliament for Broxtowe
In office 1 May 1997 – 6 May 2010
Preceded by	Jim Lester
Succeeded by	Anna Soubry
Majority	2,296 (4.7%)
Personal details
Born	(1950-02-05) 5 February 1950 City of Westminster, London
Nationality	British
Political party	Labour
Spouse(s)	Fiona Hunter
Residence	Attenborough, Nottinghamshire
Alma mater	Copenhagen University Birkbeck, University of London Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Occupation	Medical computing
Profession	Computer scientist
Website	http://www.nickpalmer.org.uk/

Nicholas Douglas Palmer (born 5 February 1950, London) is a British Labour Party politician. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Broxtowe in Nottinghamshire from 1997^[1] until he lost the seat at the 2010 general election to Conservative Anna Soubry, by 390 votes.

Described by Andrew Roth as "quietly effective",^[2] he was Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Minister of State, Margaret Beckett, in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs until April 2005.^[3] He then became PPS to the Minister of State, Malcolm Wicks, first in the Department of Trade and Industry, and later in the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform until Wicks stood down in October 2008.^[3]

He is fond of animals, keeps several pets and is the patron of his favourite charity, Cats Protection.^[4] In August 2010, pursuing his interest in animals, he joined the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection as their Director of International and Corporate Relations.^[5] He remains the spokesperson for Broxtowe Labour Party^[6] and is the party's candidate to fight the seat at the next general election.^[7]

Background

Palmer's father was a translator/editor and his mother was a language teacher. He is the cousin of Lieutenant-General Anthony Palmer, Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff. He married Fiona Hunter in 2000, having proposed on the terrace of the House of Commons. The ceremony took place on his birthday in the ornate 14th century Chapel of St Mary Undercroft.^[8][9]

He attended International Schools in Copenhagen and Vienna. He speaks six languages, despite being born with a cleft palate, and works as a professional translator of Danish and German for the European Commission and other clients.^[10] He was the first person with the cleft palate disability to enter Parliament.^[1]

He was awarded an MSc at Copenhagen University and a PhD in Mathematics from Birkbeck College, University of London. He also studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where he researched artificial intelligence and language translation.^[1] As a computer scientist, he developed the COMPACT clinical trials package for the Medical Research Council. Joining the Swiss pharmaceutical firm Ciba-Geigy, he became head of Novartis Internet Service when Ciba-Geigy merged with Novartis.^[1]

He designed and developed a computer game about the Battle of Britain, named Their Finest Hour.^[11] He has written three books about conflict simulation games and still attends international conventions, winning the Diplomacy championship at the World Boardgaming Championships in 2007.^[12] He co-founded and edited Flagship magazine in 1983, covering the field of play-by-mail games. A keen card player, he has represented the House of Commons at bridge.^[13]

With his secretary Philipa Coughlan (with sons Nick and Sean) and fellow MP, Liz Blackman, he compiled a book of recipes favoured by MPs. For example, Tony Blair's recipe was for Meatball and Tomato Sauce while speaker Betty Boothroyd preferred Stewed Oxtail. Nick Palmer's own recipe was for Swiss-style potatoes – Berner Roesti.^[4]

Career as an MP

Palmer joined the Labour Party on his twenty-first birthday^[1] and was selected as the Labour candidate for the ultra-safe Tory constituency of Chelsea in the 1983 general election. Prior to contesting Broxtowe, he edited and published a magazine to represent the views of ordinary Labour party members – Grass Roots.^[4]

Legislation and Committee Work

He has served on a number of Select Committees including the European Scrutiny Committee,^[14] the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee,^[15] and the Treasury Committee.^[16] and also served as a member of the Justice Committee.^[17]

Nick Palmer with the then Secretary of State for Transport, Ruth Kelly, launching free bus travel.

He suggested TV Licence exemption for over-75s which was then adopted by the government, along with similar measures like free bus passes for the elderly.^[18]

In January 1998 Palmer introduced a bill under the Ten Minute Rule, amending the Firearms act 1968 and raising the age for possession of air weapons, especially to prevent malicious use against pets.^{[19] [20][21]}

In April 2000 he introduced a private members bill to presume consent for organ donation,^[22] a measure still being considered which could increase transplants by 25%.^[23]

In January 2002, he introduced a 10-minute rule bill advocating Identity Cards^[24] which was adopted by the Government. He subsequently brokered a deal to get the government's version through the Lords.^[25]

He campaigned for five years for bells to be fitted to all new bicycles in response to a petition from his constituents. A bill was passed making them compulsory from 1 May 2004.^[26]

He introduced a bill about fine print, requiring a minimum size of print in documents, especially those relating to advertising and contracts.^[27]

In December 2005 he introduced another 10-minute rule bill intended to ensure speed camera warning signs displayed the limit they enforced.^[28]

In May 2008, he introduced an amendment to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 requiring that "strictly neutral information" be provided in cases of foetal abnormality.^[29] This was based on his parents' experience of the expert advice from pioneering surgeon Archibald McIndoe who successfully reconstructed his cleft palate.^[30]

He has spoken in the Commons on animal welfare issues^[31][32][33] and in December 2009 he was one of 8 cross party supporters of a bill introduced by Nigel Waterson to “make provision for residents of care homes and sheltered accommodation to keep domestic pets in certain circumstances”.^[34]

Based on his experience as a computer software developer, he spoke against the terms of the Digital Economy bill and joined Tom Watson and Austin Mitchell in leading a Labour rebellion against its third reading.^[35]

Interest Groups

Palmer belonged to an All-Party Parliamentary Group on Animal Welfare, Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments (FRAME) and World Government. He is a member of the East Midlands Labour Group and serves on the Executive of the Labour Friends of Israel. He helped organise the visit of the Dalai Lama to Britain in 2008, organising meetings and a special exhibit of a mandala in the House of Commons.^[36]

Constituency

Nick Palmer canvassing with David Miliband in Stapleford

Palmer’s success in Broxtowe in 1997 was unexpected.^[37] In 2001 his majority increased by 2.4% against the national swing of 2.5%^[37] indicating that he had done a respectable job of representing his constituency.^[38]

Palmer’s emails, estimated sent to around 1500 constituents in 2003-2004 could build a personal vote much higher than the normal estimate of 500.^[37] "No one in Broxtowe can complain that Palmer doesn't tell them what he is doing or why he thinks what he thinks."^[37]

He responds to a "very high" percentage of constituents' letters,^[39] addressing matters of local concern such as open-cast mining and the development of the local Nottingham tramway^[40][41] and in February 2008 he asked about "proposals to build on virtually the entire green belt" in Broxtowe at Prime Minister's Questions.^[42] In June 2008 he asked the Department for Transport about the second phase of the tram/train trials.^[43] He also organised a bus service to link Kimberley with the Nottingham tram at Phoenix Park.^[44]

Post Parliamentary career

A month after losing his seat in the 2010 UK general election, Palmer signed on for unemployment benefit, at Nottingham's Station St Job Centre, the first ex-MP to do so.^[45] He said this was partly to keep his national insurance contributions continuous and partly to explore for himself what the unemployment services are like.^[45] He expected to claim no more than £5 most weeks due to his income from translation work.^[46] Palmer described the experience as sensitive but said he had received plenty of helpful suggestions and was favourably impressed.^[47] In September 2010, he became Director of International and Corporate Affairs for the BUAV.^[48]

In September 2011 Palmer contributed to the book What next for Labour?. He wrote two pieces, one entitled "Student Fees: A Constructive Response" and the other "Animal Welfare: The Neglected Swing Issue".^[49]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nick Palmer.

• Positive Politics from Nick Palmer
• The Guardian's Ask Aristotle
• BBC profile
• Broxtowe Labour Party
• Newsletters at Stapleford Web
• Voting record at The Public Whip