Rodney Atkinson

Who is Rodney Atkinson?

Rodney Eric Bainbridge Atkinson is a British eurosceptic conservative academic, political and economic commentator, journalist and author. Atkinson was formerly a lecturer at the University of Mainz, and has also worked as a merchant banker and government adviser. He is the eldest brother of comedian and actor Rowan Atkinson.

He founded The Campaign for United Kingdom Conservatism in 1994 and co-founded with Lynn Riley, the cross-party South Molton Declaration in 1999. He was Referendum Party candidate in North West Durham in the 1997 General Election and the lead United Kingdom Independence Party candidate for the North East Region in the 1999 European Elections.

In 2000, he lost the UKIP leadership election, by 16 votes, to Jeffrey Titford MEP. Atkinson left UKIP shortly afterwards, along with 200 supporters, accusing then Party Chairman Nigel Farage MEP and eurosceptic journalist Christopher Booker of conducting a “dirty tricks” campaign against him. He also accused the party of being “infiltrated by extremists”.

With Norris McWhirter, he laid misprison of treason charges against Francis Maude and Douglas Hurd for signing the Maastricht Treaty.