Edward Kellett-Bowman
Encyclopedia
Edward Thomas Kellett-Bowman JP
(born Edward Thomas Bowman, 25 February 1931) is a British
business and management consultant. He has also had a political career as a local councillor and as a Member of the European Parliament
for the Conservative Party
. His political career was slightly overshadowed by his more prominent wife, Dame Elaine Kellett-Bowman
, but his work in the European Parliament
was effective in shaping policy and he only narrowly missed being chosen to lead the Conservative group.
, Surrey
and Slough College of Technology. He had technical and management training in textiles from 1951 to 1953, and then worked in management of the textile industry for two years. He then joined a company of pharmaceutical manufacturing chemists, working as a manager.
as chairman of the Young Conservative Council of London and an executive member of the London Conservative Union. In 1957 Bowman was elected to Holborn Borough Council
, but having moved by the time of the next election, in 1959 he was elected to St Pancras Borough Council
. He was the Conservative candidate in Pontefract
at the 1959 general election
.
in 1959 and gained a marginal seat. When in 1961 Edward Bowman was selected as candidate for the same division in the London County Council
election, his wife was again agent. Winning the seat for her husband was said to be the happiest moment of her life.
After reorganisation of local government in London, Bowman was defeated in elections to Camden London Borough Council
in 1964, but was chosen by the elected councillors as an Alderman
. His wife was elected to Barnet London Borough Council
in 1968, but soon fell ill and died in February 1970. When Bowman married fellow Camden councillor and Member of Parliament for Lancaster
Elaine Kellett
(who like him had been widowed) in 1971, the couple joined their names and adopted the surname 'Kellett-Bowman'.
degree at Cranfield Institute of Technology
in 1972, and in 1974 became a business and management consultant in private practice. He became a Freeman
of the City of London
in 1978 and a Liveryman
of the Wheelwrights Company
in 1979. He is also a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute
.
, including Clitheroe
and Heywood
. He won the seat with a majority of over 14,000, although only three out of the eight Parliamentary constituencies making up the seat were Conservative. At the same election, his wife was elected in the neighbouring constituency of Cumbria and Lancashire North.
near Milan
. The report found its funds were managed in way that concealed their details, and an administrative building had been built without permission. In February 1982, Kellett-Bowman criticised the sale of farm surpluses to the Soviet bloc, and accused the European Commission of distorting the foreign policy of the free world.
in the late 1990s. He brought in a report to the European Parliament in February 1997 which identified the removal of border controls and a lack of co-operation by member states as being responsible for the rise in organised crime and smuggling. Kellett-Bowman's report led to the European Union setting up a customs investigation body and computerising transit-monitoring systems.
. He made an attack on mergers of accountancy firms in early 1998, urging the Commission to place a lower limit on the number of large firms so that there would never be fewer than five.
, the lowest of all the sitting MEPs, making it very difficult for him to be elected. In the results the Conservatives won only five seats and thereafter Kellett-Bowman returned to management consultancy.
In February 2006 Kellett-Bowman made a formal complaint to the European Parliament authorities accusing Chris Huhne
, then a candidate for the Liberal Democrat leadership
, of misusing Parliamentary funds to support his election campaign in Eastleigh during the 2005 general election
. Kellett-Bowman denounced Huhne for "fraudulent use of public funds", pointing to the fact that Eastleigh was a marginal constituency. The European Parliament took no regulatory action.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
(born Edward Thomas Bowman, 25 February 1931) is a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
business and management consultant. He has also had a political career as a local councillor and as a Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
for the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
. His political career was slightly overshadowed by his more prominent wife, Dame Elaine Kellett-Bowman
Elaine Kellett-Bowman
Dame Mary Elaine Kellett-Bowman, DBE is a British Conservative politician.Born Mary Elaine Kay, she was educated at The Mount School, York, St Anne's College, Oxford and Barnett House, Oxford, and became a barrister, called to the bar by Middle Temple in 1964...
, but his work in the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
was effective in shaping policy and he only narrowly missed being chosen to lead the Conservative group.
Early career
Bowman went to Reed's School in CobhamCobham, Surrey
Cobham is a town in the Borough of Elmbridge in Surrey, England, about south-west of central London and north of Leatherhead. Elmbridge has been acclaimed by the Daily Mail as the best place to live in the UK, and Cobham is a prosperous part of the London commuter belt...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
and Slough College of Technology. He had technical and management training in textiles from 1951 to 1953, and then worked in management of the textile industry for two years. He then joined a company of pharmaceutical manufacturing chemists, working as a manager.
London municipal politics
He was already active in the Conservative PartyConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
as chairman of the Young Conservative Council of London and an executive member of the London Conservative Union. In 1957 Bowman was elected to Holborn Borough Council
Metropolitan Borough of Holborn
The Metropolitan Borough of Holborn was a Metropolitan borough in the County of London between 1900 and 1965, when it was amalgamated with the Metropolitan Borough of St Pancras and the Metropolitan Borough of Hampstead to form the London Borough of Camden....
, but having moved by the time of the next election, in 1959 he was elected to St Pancras Borough Council
Metropolitan Borough of St Pancras
The Metropolitan Borough of St Pancras was a Metropolitan borough of the County of London between 1900 and 1965, when it was amalgamated with the Metropolitan Borough of Hampstead and the Metropolitan Borough of Holborn to form the London Borough of Camden...
. He was the Conservative candidate in Pontefract
Pontefract (UK Parliament constituency)
Pontefract was an English parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Pontefract in the West Riding of Yorkshire, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons briefly in the 13th century and again from 1621 until 1885, and one member from 1885 to 1974.-In the unreformed...
at the 1959 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1959
This United Kingdom general election was held on 8 October 1959. It marked a third successive victory for the ruling Conservative Party, led by Harold Macmillan...
.
London County Council
In 1960 Bowman married Patricia Blakemore, who was one of the most vigorous election agents in the Conservative Party in London. She had already proved her skill as agent for Holborn and St Pancras SouthHolborn and St Pancras South (UK Parliament constituency)
Holborn and St Pancras South was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Holborn district of Central London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first-past-the-post voting system.The constituency was created for...
in 1959 and gained a marginal seat. When in 1961 Edward Bowman was selected as candidate for the same division in the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
election, his wife was again agent. Winning the seat for her husband was said to be the happiest moment of her life.
After reorganisation of local government in London, Bowman was defeated in elections to Camden London Borough Council
Camden London Borough Council
Camden London Borough Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Camden in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London...
in 1964, but was chosen by the elected councillors as an Alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
. His wife was elected to Barnet London Borough Council
Barnet London Borough Council
Barnet London Borough Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Barnet in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London. Barnet is divided into 21 wards, each electing three councillors...
in 1968, but soon fell ill and died in February 1970. When Bowman married fellow Camden councillor and Member of Parliament for Lancaster
Lancaster (UK Parliament constituency)
Lancaster was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1867, centred on the historic city of Lancaster in north-west England...
Elaine Kellett
Elaine Kellett-Bowman
Dame Mary Elaine Kellett-Bowman, DBE is a British Conservative politician.Born Mary Elaine Kay, she was educated at The Mount School, York, St Anne's College, Oxford and Barnett House, Oxford, and became a barrister, called to the bar by Middle Temple in 1964...
(who like him had been widowed) in 1971, the couple joined their names and adopted the surname 'Kellett-Bowman'.
Business consultancy
Kellett-Bowman gave up his job to study for a Master of Business AdministrationMaster of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
degree at Cranfield Institute of Technology
Cranfield University
Cranfield University is a British postgraduate university based on two campuses, with a research-oriented focus. The main campus is at Cranfield, Bedfordshire and the second is the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom based at Shrivenham, Oxfordshire. The main campus is unique in the United...
in 1972, and in 1974 became a business and management consultant in private practice. He became a Freeman
Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
of the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
in 1978 and a Liveryman
Liveryman
For Livery Companies in the City of London, a Liveryman is a full member of their respective Company.Livery Company members fall into two basic categories: Freemen and Liverymen. One may join as a Freeman, and thereby acquire the "Freedom of the Company", upon fulfilling the Company's criteria...
of the Wheelwrights Company
Worshipful Company of Wheelwrights
The Worshipful Company of Wheelwrights is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London, England. An organisation of Wheelwrights and Coachmakers petitioned for incorporation in 1630. The petition was granted forty years later, in 1670, when a Royal Charter was granted to the Wheelwrights...
in 1979. He is also a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute
Chartered Management Institute
The Chartered Management Institute is a professional institution for managers, based in the United Kingdom.In addition to supporting its members, the organisation encourages management development, carries out research, produces a wide variety of publications on management interests, and publishes...
.
European Parliament
At the 1979 elections to the European Parliament, Kellett-Bowman was chosen as the Conservative Party candidate for the Lancashire East constituency, which stretched from Blackburn to NelsonNelson, Lancashire
Nelson is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England, with a population of 28,998 in 2001. It lies 4 miles north of Burnley on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal....
, including Clitheroe
Clitheroe
Clitheroe is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Ribble Valley in Lancashire, England. It is 1½ miles from the Forest of Bowland and is often used as a base for tourists in the area. It has a population of 14,697...
and Heywood
Heywood, Greater Manchester
Heywood is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the south bank of the River Roch and is east of Bury, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north of the city of Manchester. The town of Middleton lies to the south, whilst to the north is the...
. He won the seat with a majority of over 14,000, although only three out of the eight Parliamentary constituencies making up the seat were Conservative. At the same election, his wife was elected in the neighbouring constituency of Cumbria and Lancashire North.
Audit work
Kellett-Bowman specialised in budget and audit and in 1981 presented a report about budgetary control at the Joint Research Centre in IspraIspra
Ispra is a comune and small town on the eastern shore of Lake Maggiore, in the province of Varese .Some of the main Institutes of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission are located there, including the Institute for the Protection and the Security of the Citizen , the Institute for...
near Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
. The report found its funds were managed in way that concealed their details, and an administrative building had been built without permission. In February 1982, Kellett-Bowman criticised the sale of farm surpluses to the Soviet bloc, and accused the European Commission of distorting the foreign policy of the free world.
Federalism
At the 1984 European Parliament election, Kellett-Bowman lost his seat. He returned to the European Parliament in a byelection in December 1988 in the Hampshire Central constituency. In July 1990 he supported a motion calling for a new constitution for Europe which would give the European Communities a federal structure. The motion also called for economic and monetary union, including a single currency, although others who had voted for the motion said that the translation was inaccurate. Four years later, Kellett-Bowman pointed out that in unambiguous votes on a federal Europe in March 1990 and February 1994 he had voted against.Transit crime
As a senior MEP, Kellett-Bowman served on the governing body of the European People's PartyEuropean People's Party
The European People's Party is a pro-European centre-right European political party. The EPP was founded in 1976 by Christian democratic parties, but later it increased its membership to include conservative parties and parties of other centre-right perspectives.The EPP is the most influential of...
in the late 1990s. He brought in a report to the European Parliament in February 1997 which identified the removal of border controls and a lack of co-operation by member states as being responsible for the rise in organised crime and smuggling. Kellett-Bowman's report led to the European Union setting up a customs investigation body and computerising transit-monitoring systems.
Conservative leadership
In September 1997, Kellett-Bowman stood for the leadership of the Conservative group of MEPs, and lost by one vote to Edward McMillan-ScottEdward McMillan-Scott
Edward Hugh Christian McMillan-Scott is a British Member of the European Parliament and one of the Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament...
. He made an attack on mergers of accountancy firms in early 1998, urging the Commission to place a lower limit on the number of large firms so that there would never be fewer than five.
Later career
At the 1999 election, Kellett-Bowman was placed seventh on the Conservative Party list in South East EnglandSouth East England (European Parliament constituency)
South East England is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 10 Members of the European Parliament using the D'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :...
, the lowest of all the sitting MEPs, making it very difficult for him to be elected. In the results the Conservatives won only five seats and thereafter Kellett-Bowman returned to management consultancy.
In February 2006 Kellett-Bowman made a formal complaint to the European Parliament authorities accusing Chris Huhne
Chris Huhne
Christopher Murray Paul-Huhne, generally known as Chris Huhne is a British politician and cabinet minister, who is the current Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for the Eastleigh constituency in Hampshire...
, then a candidate for the Liberal Democrat leadership
Liberal Democrats leadership election, 2006
In the 2006 Liberal Democrats leadership election, Sir Menzies Campbell was elected to succeed Charles Kennedy as Leader of the Liberal Democrats, the third-largest political party in the United Kingdom....
, of misusing Parliamentary funds to support his election campaign in Eastleigh during the 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
. Kellett-Bowman denounced Huhne for "fraudulent use of public funds", pointing to the fact that Eastleigh was a marginal constituency. The European Parliament took no regulatory action.