Conservative Members of the European Parliament for Eastern Region

website: www.easternregionconservativemeps.co.uk

Christopher Beazley, MEP

Christopher was elected MEP for the Eastern region in 1999. He was MEP for Cornwall and Plymouth from 1984-94. He is Conservative spokesman on Culture and Education. He was Conservative spokesman on Constitutional Affairs from 1999-2001, and was Vice-Chairman of the European Parliament's Delegation to the Baltic States from 1991-94, and Chairman of the EP Delegation to Estonia from 2001-2004. He is a member of the Culture & Education Committee.

He is a former Deputy Whip of the Conservatives in the European Parliament.

Born in 1952, he is married with three children. Christopher's interests include languages, travel and writing.

By Post: 4A Swains Mill, Crane Mead, Ware, Herts, SG12 9PY
By email: cbeazley@europarl.eu.int
By Phone: 01920 462182

Robert Sturdy, MEP

Robert was educated at Ashville College, Harrogate and trained in accountancy. He built up a substantial family farming business, mainly in arable crops, now run by his son Julian who stood as a candidate in the 2005 general election as the Conservative candidate for Scunthorpe. He finds this practical experience invaluable in policy discussion in Parliament. As being an MEP involves so much travelling from home to Brussels when he has time off he enjoys nothing more than helping out around the farm.

His passion for agriculture started young when he became County Chairman of the Young Farmers. Active in the NFU, Robert held a number of appointments and chairmanships including Chairman of the regional livestock committee and sugarbeet, potatoes and cereals committee and was involved in the WTO Uruguay round negotiations. It was this that led to his growing interest in international trade and the important role that agriculture plays within it.

Robert takes a keen interest in animal welfare and the environment and is a member of the RSPB and Vice-President of the Cambridgeshire Beekeepers Association. Robert is treasurer of the Land Use and Food Policy Intergroup.

By email: rsturdy@tory.org
By Phone: 01954 211790, By Fax: 01954 211786

Geoffrey Van Orden, MEP

Geoffrey was first elected MEP for the East of England in 1999. He is Vice Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament and Conservative Spokesman on Defence and Security Policy. He is also a Member of the Transport Committee and the Parliament’s ‘rapporteur’ on Bulgaria. A former senior British Army officer with wide international and operational experience, particularly in the field of counter-terrorism, his last military appointment was at NATO Headquarters.

"I go to Brussels to speak up for British interests and for the people of East Anglia. I did not become an MEP in order to promote the EU. I want us to govern our own country. At the same time, I want to help local businesses and citizens get the best out of the single market and to assist in the creation of the widest possible area of stability and prosperity across Europe", says Geoffrey. He has consistently opposed European political integration, in particular EU meddling in defence, the EU "Constitution", British adoption of the Euro and unnecessary regulation. He is a member of the Countryside Alliance, Friends of the Union, and the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a founder member of Friends of India, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Liaison Group, and Patron of Fair Trials Abroad. He is married with three daughters.

By email: gvanorden@europarl.eu.int
By Phone: 01245 345141, By Fax: 01245 269757