Nathan Gill

Nathan Gill
MEP AM
Leader of UK Independence Party in Wales
In office
6 December 2014 – 26 September 2016
Leader Nigel Farage
Diane James
Preceded by Position Established
Succeeded by Neil Hamilton
Member of the National Assembly for Wales for North Wales
Assumed office
5 May 2016
Member of the European Parliament
for Wales
Assumed office
1 July 2014
Preceded by John Bufton
Personal details
Born (1973-07-06) 6 July 1973
Kingston upon Hull, England
Political party UK Independence Party (2005-)
Other political
affiliations		 Independent
(in Welsh Assembly 2016-)
Spouse(s) Jana[1]
Children 5[2]
Residence Llangefni, Anglesey
Education Coleg Menai
Occupation Businessperson
Religion Mormon[1]

Nathan Lee Gill (born 6 July 1973) is a British politician, who is a member of the European parliament for the Wales region for the UK Independence Party, elected in 2014[3] and an independent member of the National Assembly for Wales, being elected in 2016.

Early life and career

Born in England, his family moved to Wales in the early 1980s. Educated at Ysgol David Hughes and then Coleg Menai, on leaving the latter he joined a family-owned private company based in North East England.[4]

In March 2004 Gill founded and managed Burgill Ltd, with his mother Elaine.[4][5] Registered in Llangefni, Isle of Anglesey but operating solely in Kingston upon Hull, the company provided domiciliary and home care services mainly to Hull City Council. The company employed 180 staff,[2] mainly from central Europe (mainly Poland) and the Philippines, to which they optionally provided chargeable "bunkhouse"-style accommodation. In a later interview with the Western Mail after his election, Gill commented:[4]

“ UKIP has never said it wants to stop all immigration – it wants to limit the numbers. People from overseas were employed because we could not find workers to do the jobs. We had a care home of our own, but mostly our workers were employed on home care contracts we had with Hull City Council and other organisations. The workers were paid more than the minimum wage, but not massively more. The amount we could afford to pay was determined by the amount of money we received from the council. Working in care is quite tough and we had a big turnover of staff. ”

The company collapsed into administration with debts £116,000, after main bankers HSBC withdrew its borrowing facility in light of the financial crisis of 2007–08.[4]

Gill then moved back to Wales, where he now lives in Llangefni, Isle of Anglesey, with his American wife Jana,[1][6] and five children.[7] The family are practising Mormons.[1]

Political career

In July 2012, he came last in the election of councillor for the Llanbedrgoch electoral division.[8]

In May 2013, he led the UKIP group of candidates in the Anglesey local elections, which included his wife, Jana Gill (standing for Canolbarth Môn),[9] and his sister, Jayne Gill (for Aethwy).[10] Gill himself stood to be elected as councillor for the new electoral division of Seiriol, but he came in eighth place with 7% of the vote.[11] The party did not win any seats on the island's council.[12]

In August 2013, he came third behind Plaid Cymru's Rhun ap Iorwerth in the National Assembly for Wales by-election for Ynys Môn.[13]

With John Bufton stepping down as MEP in 2014, Gill was selected as UKIP candidate number one for Wales in the European Parliament Election and held on to the seat for the party.[3]

During the UK Independence Party Wales Conference on 6 December 2014, Nigel Farage, then-Leader of UK Independence Party, announced that Gill would be the Leader of the Party in Wales.[14] During the 2015 general election campaign, Gill represented UKIP in the ITV Welsh TV Leaders debate. During the election campaign, Gill denied human involvement in climate change, comments which were strongly criticised by other leaders.[15]

In the 2016 Assembly election Gill won a seat representing the North Wales region.[16] He was beaten to the post of leader of the UKIP group in the National Assembly for Wales by former Conservative MP Neil Hamilton, in a move which Gill described as "bizarre".[17] Farage described the move as an "unjust act of deep ingratitude" [18] resulting in Hamilton dismissing Farage as simply an "MEP for South East England whos opinions were "irrelevant".[19] Gill subsequently left the UKIP group in the assembly to sit as an independent, citing much infighting and distractions.[20] He remained a member of the party and its leader in Wales, until Neil Hamilton was made Wales leader in September 2016.[21]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 David Williamson (25 May 2014). "UKIP tops poll in Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham". North Wales Daily Post. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Mr Nathan Gill MEP (UKIP) – Members of Parliament in Pwllypant, Caerphilly, Wales". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Election for the European Parliament: Electoral Region of Wales". Regional Returning Officer of Wales. 25 May 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Martin Shipton (4 June 2014). "Ukip MEP admits he employed 'dozens' of migrant workers". Western Mail. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  5. ↑ Companies House records. Company Registered No.05076906; Registered Office: 5 Church Street, Llangefni, Angelesey, LL77 7DU; Date of incorporation: 17 March 2004; Status: In Liquidation
  6. ↑ "Nathan Gill". ITV News. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  7. ↑ "Nathan Gill". United Kingdom Independence Party. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  8. ↑ "Declaration of Results of Poll: Electoral Division – Llanbedrgoch". Anglesey County Council. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  9. ↑ "Election results for Canolbarth Môn: Local Elections May 2013 – Thursday, 2nd May, 2013". Anglesey County Council. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  10. ↑ "Election results for Aethwy: Local Elections May 2013 – Thursday, 2nd May, 2013". Anglesey County Council. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  11. ↑ "Election results for Seiriol". Anglesey County Council. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  12. ↑ "Local Elections May 2013 – Thursday, 2nd May, 2013". Anglesey County Council. 3 May 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  13. ↑ "Election results for Isle of Anglesey: National Assembly for Wales Election – Thursday, 1st August, 2013". Anglesey County Council. 2 August 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  14. ↑ "Nathan Gill announced as Leader of UKIP in Wales at UKIP Wales Autumn Conference". UKIP. Retrieved 2016-07-15.
  15. ↑ "UKIP Wales leader Nathan Gill: Climate change not man made". Bbc.com. Retrieved 2016-07-15.
  16. ↑ "Welsh Assembly election 2016 results". BBC News. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  17. ↑ Sculthorpe, Tim (2016-05-10). "Ukip descends into civil war just six weeks before Brexit vote after disgraced Neil Hamilton defeats Nigel Farage's candidate to seize party leadership in Welsh Assembly". Dailymail.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-07-15.
  18. ↑ "UKIP's Farage attacks Hamilton's leadership victory". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-07-15.
  19. ↑ 10 May, 2016 (2016-05-10). "He's linked to cash for questions and mimicked Hitler in Berlin — now he leads UKIP in the Senedd". Left Foot Forward. Retrieved 2016-07-15.
  20. ↑ "UKIP MEP Nathan Gill told to quit as successor is 'ready'". BBC News. 29 July 2016. Retrieved 2016-10-28.
  21. ↑ "Nathan Gill leaves UKIP assembly group to sit as independent". BBC News. 17 August 2016. Retrieved 2016-10-28.

Offices Held

National Assembly for Wales
Preceded by
Aled Roberts		 Assembly Member for North Wales
2016 – present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
European Parliament
Preceded by
John Bufton		 Member of the European Parliament for Wales
2014–present 		Succeeded by
Incumbemt
Party political offices
Preceded by
position created		 Leader of UK Independence Party in Wales
2014- 2016 		Succeeded by
Neil Hamilton AM
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