From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Mark F. Watts
Mark F. Watts
Watts,
Mark Francis Watts (born June 11, 1964 in London), is 2004 and 2009. He is now co-owner and Director of Luther
a former Labour Party Member of the European Parlia- Pendragon Brussels, an integrated communications con-
ment (MEP), and now public affairs lobbyist and public sultancy inspired by the legend of King Arthur, his castle
relations advisor, having represented South East England Camelot, his sword Excaliber and the Knights of the
United Kingdom from 1994 to 2004. Round Table. He is also a member of the Council of the
University of Kent.[1] He offers strategic pa and pr advice
Early years to leading companies, governments and individuals seek-
ing to understand and influence the EU. He was elected
Watts attended Maidstone Grammar School, MidKent a Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of
College and studied economics, BSc & MSc(Econ) at the Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) in 2010. He is
London School of Economics and worked for the Royal listed in Who’s Who. He writes and lectures regularly on
Borough of Kingston upon Thames covering planning, a range of international topics.
transport and economic development.[1] Watts continues to champion EU enlargement and
recently advocated a European Mediterranean Union to
Political life include countries in the Middle East and North Africa
which guarantee democracy, the rule of law, human
Watts was elected as a Maidstone Borough Councillor in rights, and the respect for and protection of minorities.
1986, and became Leader of its Labour Group in 1990.[1] He advocates an In/out EU membership referendum
He was elected an MEP in 1994, gaining the East Kent in the UK which he says "will give us pro-Europeans the
Constituency for Labour from the Conservatives, beating chance to make the case for Europe and secure the con-
incumbent Christopher Jackson, and stood again success- sent of our generation."
fully for the South East England regional constituency in
1999, but was not re-elected in 2004 when Labour’s na-
tional performance declined.[2] Red Orchestra Commemoration
He specialised in transport issues, being Labour Watts organised a commemorative event in the European
Transport and Tourism Spokesman in the European Par- Parliament on Tuesday 6 December 2011, hosted by Peter
liament for eight years.[1] He served on the Committee Skinner, a senior British MEP, to mark the 70th Anniver-
on Transport and Tourism and then the Committee on sary of the raid by the German Abwehr on the Red
Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism. He was a cham- Orchestra Brussels HQ. The Red Orchestra was probably
pion of enlargement and the application of the Copen- the most successful spy network in WW2. The raid led to
hagen Criteria to Central and Eastern and the islands of the capture, torture, and execution of over 100 agents.
Malta and Cyprus. He was vice-chair, first of the Dele- The event included a seminar with Hans Coppi, Jr.an ex-
gation to the EU-Bulgaria Joint Parliamentary Commit- pert on the Red orchestra whose parents were members
tee and then of the Delegation to the EU-Malta Joint Par- of the RO, and were executed by the Gestapo, Natalia
liamentary Committee. He was Rapporteur on a number Narochnitskaya Ph.D., Prof., a doctor of historical sci-
of important pieces of EU legislation.[3] He also champi- ence, an expert on international relations around WW1
oned Better Regulation and was appointed by Tony Blair and WW2, and a prominent public figure in Russia, Rabbi
as link MEP to the Cabinet Office (1999–2004). He led the Avil Tawil, Director of the European Jewish Community
ultimately unsuccessful campaign in the European Par- Centre in Brussels, and Lital Levin, an Israeli journalist
liament to Save Duty Free in the EU. and relative of Leopold Trepper. Other experts and rel-
Watts was a leading supporter of Tony Blair and New atives of the Red orchestra and the Resistance also con-
Labour. He voted to support the Iraq war that led to the tributed to the seminar. There was a commemorative
removal of Saddam Hussein.[4] reception. The Russian Ambassador to the EU, H.E.
Vladimir Chizhov, was guest of honour. The British Am-
Life since the European Parlia- bassador to Belgium, Jonathan Brenton, the Israeli Am-
bassador to Belgium H.E. Jacques Revah, and the German
ment Ambassador to Belgium H.E.Eckart Cuntz attended.
Watts was Director of Waterfront Europe, a public affairs
consultancy, specialising in transport issues between
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Mark F. Watts
References Persondata
Name Watts, Mark
[1] ^ Waterfront Public Affairs: Mark Watts
[2] European Parliament Elections — UK Results Alternative names
[3] Your MEPs : Archives : Mark Francis WATTS Short description
[4] Iraq: how your MEP voted | World news | Date of birth June 11, 1964
guardian.co.uk
Place of birth
Date of death
External links Place of death
• Speeches in the European Parliament
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mark_F._Watts&oldid=474110054"
Categories:
• 1964 births
• Living people
• Labour Party (UK) politicians
• Alumni of the London School of Economics
• People associated with the University of Kent
• Members of the European Parliament for English constituencies
• MEPs for the United Kingdom 1994–1999
• Labour Party (UK) MEPs
• MEPs for the United Kingdom 1999–2004
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