Peter Skinner

Peter Skinner
Member of the European Parliament
for South East England
In office
10 June 1999 – 2 July 2014
Preceded by Position established
Succeeded by Anneliese Dodds
Member of the European Parliament
for Kent West
In office
9 June 1994 – 10 June 1999
Preceded by Ben Patterson
Succeeded by Position abolished
Personal details
Born (1959-06-01) 1 June 1959
Oxford, England
Nationality English
Political party Labour
Residence United Kingdom
Alma mater University of Bradford
University of Warwick
University of Greenwich
Profession Politician

Peter William Skinner (born 1 June 1959 in Oxford) is a former Member of the European Parliament for the Labour Party for South East England, and convicted fraudster. He was a member of the European Parliament from 1994 until 2014, representing the Kent West constituency and then from 1999 South East England, after the reforms in European Elections created multi-member constituencies based on British regions. On 31 March 2016, Skinner was found guilty of fraudulently claiming expenses whilst an MEP,[1] and subsequently jailed for 4 years.[2]

Early life

Peter Skinner was born in Oxford on 1 June 1959. Educated at St. Josephs R.C. Secondary Modern School in Orpington, Kent, he attended Bradford University between 1979 and 1982 where he attained a BSc in Economics and Politics. Between 1986-7 he undertook a post-graduate course in Industrial Relations at the University of Warwick, and in 1991 completed a post-graduate Diploma in Education at Coventry University. Skinner has also gained a professional qualification in Management from the University of Greenwich.[3]

Professional career

Skinner was a press consultant and latterly a lecturer in Economics and Business at North West Kent College of Technology and University of Greenwich before being elected to the European Parliament.[3]

Member of the European Parliament

In 1994, Skinner was elected to the European Parliament as the Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Kent West, a political constituency within England. In 1999, he was elected again to the European Parliament, as an MEP for the South East of England Region.[3] He was re-elected in 2004 and 2009, before standing down at the 2014 European Parliament election. He was succeeded by Anneliese Dodds.

Expenses fraud and conviction

In 2015, Skinner was charged with: two counts of making a false instrument; one count of fraud; and one count of false accounting between 2004 and 2009. In his subsequent trial at Southwark Crown Court, the jury heard that he had claimed almost £500,000 for support staff over a five-year period. In evidence, it was alleged that Skinner had made payments of £10,000 a month to his wife from December 2007 until July 2009, which entitled him to claim secretarial or parliamentary assistance allowance. It is also alleged that he created a fake letter, for a payment of £5000 for work conducted by his father. In his defence, Skinner claimed he had been confused over the rules, and blamed a lack of information given to him by the European Parliament. On 31 March 2016, Skinner was found guilty of: one count of making a false instrument; one count of fraud; and one count of false accounting.[1] Warned that he would face a prison sentence, on 29 April 2016 he was jailed for 4 years.[2]

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35934342
  2. 1 2 "Ex-MEP Peter Skinner jailed for expenses fraud". BBC News. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 "Peter Skinner MEP - Biography".
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