Bob Spink

Who is Bob Spink?

Robert Michael Spink is a politician in the United Kingdom. He was elected as the Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Castle Point in Essex in 1992, lost his seat in 1997, but regained it in 2001. Spink lost his seat as Member of Parliament in the 2010 elections to the Conservative candidate, Rebecca Harris.

Having resigned the Conservative whip in March 2008, in April 2008 he defected to the United Kingdom Independence Party, becoming that party's first and only MP. In November 2008 he was redesignated as an Independent, on the grounds that UKIP had no 'whip' and has since denied joining UKIP.

In March 2010, Spink confirmed he was encouraging candidates to stand in local elections under the label "Independent Save Our Green Belt", in addition to using this label as his own parliamentary designation until the general election.