Rupert Matthews (politician)

Rupert Oliver Matthews MEP (born 5 December 1961) is an English author on the paranormal,[1] and a Conservative Party politician. He has been Member of the European Parliament for the East Midlands since June 2017.

Career

Matthews was educated at Esher Grammar School and worked as a freelance writer and journalist.[2] He has written over 170 books on history, ghosts, cryptozoology, UFOs, paranormal activity, guides to the UK and children's stories. Matthews is the editorial director and a shareholder of Bretwalda Books.[3]

Matthews has also run an online course about the paranormal for the International Metaphysical University,[4] on whose website he was described as a 'Professor' until mid-January 2012.[5]

Politics

He served as a councillor for St Mark's ward in Surbiton in Kingston upon Thames,[6] and in the 1997 general election he stood in the safe Labour seat of Bootle.

Matthews was selected as a Conservative candidate for the 2009 European Parliament election and was placed third on the Conservative party list for the East Midlands. He was not elected.

On 12 October 2011, MEP for the East Midlands region Roger Helmer, announced that he would resign from the European Parliament at the end of the year.[7] Helmer expected to be replaced by Matthews who had been next on the Conservative party list in the East Midlands.[8]

However, after there was uncertainty whether the Conservative Party would approve Matthews as the new MEP, Helmer announced he would delay standing down until the position was clarified and Matthews confirmed as his successor.[9] The Tory party was reported to be looking into golliwog dolls featuring on the front cover of a book on political correctness published by Bretwalda Books. It was later revealed that Matthews was not personally involved in publishing the book.[10] In March 2012, Helmer defected to UKIP and remained a MEP;[11] he was re-elected in 2014.[12]

For the 2014 European Parliament election Matthews was again placed third on the Conservative party list for the East Midlands and, again, missed being elected.

In 2014, Matthews took up a position as National Campaigns Director at Better Off Out. He led Better Off Out's campaign for Britain to Leave the European Union, liaising with the official campaign (Vote Leave) as well as with Leave.EU and Grassroots Out. During this time, he supervised the production of leaflets, posters and other campaign materials as well as organising their distribution to the public in the run up to the 2016 European Union membership referendum.[13]

Matthews finally became a MEP for the East Midlands on 29 June 2017, replacing Andrew Lewer after Lewer was elected to the House of Commons.

Positions

Matthews has been described as "a sceptic over the EU, but on precious little else".[14] Reportedly, he thinks the Lisbon Treaty could enable the European Commission to invade Britain should the country ever attempt to leave the European Union, or to request a German panzer (tank) division be sent to London if the situation should warrant it.[15]

Selected bibliography

  • Monster Mysteries with Bernard Long (Hove, Wayland, 1988 ISBN 1-85210-354-X)
  • The First Settlements with Bernard Long (Hove, Wayland, 1990 ISBN 1-85210-769-3)
  • Alien Encounters (Chartwell Books, Inc., 2009 ISBN 978-0-7858-2355-1)

References

  1. ↑ Chris Cook "Paranormal expert set to become Tory MEP", Financial Times, 28 October 2011
  2. ↑ Times Guide to the House of Commons, 1997
  3. ↑ http://www.rupertmatthews.org/index.php?pageLink=Conference
  4. ↑ International Metaphysical University page; includes a comprehensive list of books by Matthews currently in print.
  5. ↑ Michael Crick "Unconventional Tory and his paranormal activities", Channel 4 News, 24 January 2012
  6. ↑ Council Election 1998 Surrey Comet 9 May 1998
  7. ↑ Barrett, Matthew (12 October 2011). "Roger Helmer MEP to resign from the European Parliament". ConservativeHome.
  8. ↑ http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/UFO-expert-seat-European-parliament/story-13599628-detail/story.html
  9. ↑ http://www.rogerhelmer.com/resignationpostponed.asp
  10. ↑ "Conservative MEP Roger Helmer delays resignation" BBC 31 December 2011
  11. ↑ "Conservative MEP Roger Helmer joins UKIP". BBC News. 3 March 2012.
  12. ↑ Quinn, Ben (2012-03-03). "Conservative MEP switches to Ukip". the Guardian. Retrieved 2018-09-09.
  13. ↑ "Rupert Matthews MEP, Author at BrexitCentral". BrexitCentral. Retrieved 2018-09-09.
  14. ↑ "Golly! Ghostbuster UK MEP may not be coming to Brussels" New Europe
  15. ↑ 'Bagehot' "The newest Conservative member of the European Parliament, and his fears of German invasion ", The Economist, 14 October 2011
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