Nigel Waterson

Nigel Waterson
Member of the United Kingdom Parliament
for Eastbourne
In office
9 April 1992  7 May 2010
Preceded by David Bellotti
Succeeded by Stephen Lloyd
Personal details
Born 12 October 1950
Leeds, West Yorkshire
Nationality British
Political party Conservative
Spouse(s) Barbara Waterson
Alma mater The Queen's College, Oxford

Nigel Christopher Waterson (born 12 October 1950, Leeds) is a politician in the United Kingdom. He was Conservative Party member of Parliament for Eastbourne until the 2010 election. He was first elected in 1992. He was a junior minister in the government of John Major.

Early life

He attended Leeds Grammar School (then a direct grant grammar school) and at The Queen's College, Oxford he read law, getting a BA in 1971. He became a barrister and founded the firm Waterson Hicks. From 1974-8 he was a councillor on Hammersmith and Fulham borough council.

Parliamentary career

He contested Islington South and Finsbury in 1979.

Waterson was the Shadow Minister for Pensions and Conservative Spokesman for Older People and is a patron of many local charities including President of the Eastbourne Constitutional Club and Vice President for Age Concern - Eastbourne. In the Conservative leadership contest in 2005 he backed Ken Clarke to be the next leader before Clarke lost in a preliminary round.

Waterson lost his seat to the Liberal Democrat Stephen Lloyd in the 2010 general election. Following the election Waterson sued Lloyd for libel regarding claims in a general election campaign leaflet.[1] Waterson lost this case on appeal in 2013, after winning the initial High Court case in 2011.[2]

Personal life

Waterson married Dr Barbara Judge in 1999. They have two teenage children.[3]

On 29 January 2008 Waterson was arrested for allegedly assaulting his two teenage children.[4] In 2010 the Metropolitan Police Service apologised for any distress caused by the arrest, accepting the allegations were wholly unfounded, and paid damages and costs to Waterson in settlement of a civil claim for wrongful arrest and false imprisonment.[5]

References

  1. "Ex-MP to sue successor over 'expense claim libel'". BBC. 4 August 2010. Retrieved 25 September 2010.
  2. "Former Eastbourne MP loses bid for full trial in libel claim". BBC. 30 July 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  3. "Nigel Waterson website - Biography". Retrieved 25 September 2010.
  4. "Tory MP arrested for 'assaulting his children'". The Daily Telegraph. 29 January 2008. Retrieved 25 September 2010.
  5. "Ex MP Nigel Waterson wins damages from Met Police". BBC. 24 September 2010. Retrieved 25 September 2010.

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
David Bellotti
Member of Parliament for Eastbourne
19922010
Succeeded by
Stephen Lloyd