Nirj Deva
Nirj Deva Barney Hayhoe | |
---|---|
Succeeded by | Ann Keen |
Personal details | |
Born | Niranjan Joseph De Silva Deva Aditya 11 May 1948 Colombo, Dominion of Ceylon |
Citizenship | Sri Lanka and United Kingdom |
Political party | Conservative |
Other political affiliations | European Conservatives and Reformists |
Spouse | Indra |
Children | 1 |
Residence | London |
Website | www.nirjdeva.co.uk European Parliament |
Thakur Artha Niranjan Joseph De Silva Deva Aditya,
Deva was born in Sri Lanka into a politically active family and was raised in Britain. He was the fifth Asian-born person to be elected a Member of the House of Commons, and in 1999 became the second so-born to be elected as a Conservative to the European Parliament which operates via a party list system. In November 2011 Deva became the European Conservatives and Reformists Group's candidate for President of the European Parliament, following three UN-related roles, representing the European Union, in the 2005 to 2006 period.[1][2]
Family background and education
Deva was born in
Deva was educated at
British Parliament
Deva stood as the
At the 1992 general election, Deva was elected to the House of Commons as MP for the London constituency of Brentford and Isleworth with a majority of 2,086.[7] During his time in Parliament, Deva served as a Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) at the Scottish Office. Deva was only the fifth Asian-born person to be elected a Member of the House of Commons and serve in the British Government.[citation needed]
He was defeated in the 1997 general election, losing to the Labour candidate Ann Keen by 14,424 votes.[8]
European Parliament
Deva was chosen by the Conservatives to be one of their candidates for the
In April 2005 he was chairman of the European Parliament's delegation to the UN Commission on Sustainable Development in New York, and delivered a paper on the future of the United Nations at the US Council on Foreign Relations. A few months later, he headed the European Parliament's delegation to the UN High-Level Conference on global financing of aid. Also in 2005 he was Co-Chairman (with former Prime Minister of France Michel Rocard) of the European Parliaments' Delegation to the World Summit at the United Nations 60th General Assembly.
At the
In November 2011 it was announced that Deva would be the European Conservatives and Reformists Group's candidate for President of the European Parliament.[1][2] In the election in January 2012 he was backed by 142 MEPs, compared to the S&D winning candidate Martin Schulz, backed by 387 MEPs.[15][16]
At the
Deva serves as co-ordinator on the
Lobbying
Whilst an MP Deva served as a consultant for tobacco manufacturer
Deva used an official European Parliament trip to Barbados in 2009 to promote Symphony Environmental Technologies, a company from which he received £33,000 a year for being its chairman.[25]
Deva lobbies extensively for the
Business interests
Sri Lanka
Deva's family has extensive business interests in Sri Lanka including tea, rubber and coconut plantations as well as a distillery and residential property.
Deva holds directorships of a number of Sri Lanka's largest companies. He is a director of conglomerate Aitken Spence PLC.[31][32] He was appointed a non-executive director of Aitken Spence Hotel Holdings PLC, a subsidiary of Aitken Spence PLC, with effect from 1 July 2010.[33][34] He was appointed to the board of directors of MTD Walkers PLC with effect from 29 February 2012.[35][36] He is a director of Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka PLC and its subsidiary Melstacorp Limited.[37][38] He is also a director of The Kingsbury PLC (formerly Hotel Services (Ceylon) PLC), a subsidiary of Hayleys PLC.[39][40]
United Kingdom
Deva is a shareholder, director and chairman of Symphony Environmental Technologies PLC, a company listed on the Alternative Investment Market.[41] He received a salary of £42,000 in 2013 for being chairman.[42] He is also a director of two of the company's subsidiaries, Symphony Recycling Technologies Limited and Symphony Plastics (2010) Limited.[43][44] He is also currently director of Deva Imperial Limited, Monte Zita Limited and Stassen Teas Limited.[45][46][47] He had previously been director of Airlines of the World Limited,[48] Budget Hotels Limited,[49] CMB Technologies Limited,[50] Corporate and Public Affairs Strategy Limited,[51] First European Communications Corporation Limited,[52] Global Business Link Limited,[53] International Management Consulting Group Limited,[54] P.P.A.I. Limited,[55] Policy Research Centre for Business Limited,[56] Project Management (Balaton) Limited,[57] Serendib Business Investments Limited,[58] Speed Promotions Limited,[59] Winfotech Europe Limited[60] and World Corporate Travel Buyers Club Limited.[61]
Other roles and activities
In 1981, Deva became Chairman of the Bow Group, a conservative think tank in Great Britain, and initiated the Transatlantic Conferences between the Bow Group and the Republican Party and The Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C.
Deva was appointed Chairman of the Department of Transport and National Consumer Council Committee on Deregulation of Air Transport, whose report was published by the UK Government in March 1986.[citation needed] This resulted in the low-fare airlines in Europe.
Deva was a Member of the Council of the
In 2006 Deva tried to become a
Since 2008 Deva has served as the President of the International Committee on Human Dignity for the Rome-based Dignitatis Humanae Institute,[68] and is also the Vice-President of the European Parliament's Working Group on Human Dignity since its launch in 2009.
Family life
Deva is married to Indra – a French-speaking Mauritian. Indra has worked as Deva's personal assistant since he was elected an MP in 1992.[69] As of 2009 Indra was earning a salary of £30,000-£39,999 for working as one of Deva's assistants in the European Parliament.[70]
The couple have one son.
References
- ^ a b "The man to stop Schulz?". Retrieved 3 December 2011.
- ^ Democracy Live. 17 January 2012.
- ^ "Features | Online edition of Daily News - Lakehouse Newspapers". archives.dailynews.lk. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
- ^ "The Island". www.island.lk. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
- ^ "UK General Election results June 1987". politicsresources.net. Archived from the original on 8 May 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
- ISBN 0-203-21405-6.
- ^ "UK General Election results April 1992". politicsresources.net. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
- ^ "Brentford & Isleworth". politicsresources.net. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
- ^ "1999 Election Candidates: Candidates" (PDF). European Parliament / Information Office in the United Kingdom.
- ^ "Vote 99: UK Regions – South East". BBC News.
- ^ "2004 Election Candidates". European Parliament / Information Office in the United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
- ^ "European Election: South East Result". BBC News. 14 June 2004.
- ^ "Candidates 2009". European Parliament / Information Office in the United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 5 June 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
- ^ "European Election 2009: South East". BBC News. 8 June 2009.
- ^ "Martin Schulz elected President of the European Parliament". European Parliament. 17 January 2012.
- Democracy Live. 17 January 2012.
- ^ "Statement of Parties and Individual Candidates Nominated and Notice of Poll" (PDF). Southampton City Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 May 2014.
- ^ "South East". BBC News.
- ^ "Niranjan wins again bucking the trend and increasing his vote while Conservative Party collapses in European election". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 30 May 2014. Archived from the original on 3 June 2014. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
- ^ "Niranjan Deva Aditya creates history at European Parliament". The Nation (Sri Lanka). 30 May 2014. Archived from the original on 5 June 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
- ^ Chris, Blackhurst; Rentoul, John (9 May 1996). "Hamilton role 'close to paid advocacy'". The Independent. Archived from the original on 21 June 2022.
- ISBN 9781847876171.
- ^ Downey, Gordon (27 March 1997). "VIII. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS". Select Committee on Standards and Privileges First Report. Parliament of the United Kingdom.
- ^ "The sleaze report: 20 are cleared by the findings". The Independent. 4 July 1997. Archived from the original on 21 June 2022.
- ^ Kennedy, Dominic (29 May 2009). "Nirj Deva MEP promoted business interests on expenses-paid EU visit". The Times.
- ^ "Declaration of Members' Financial Interests" (PDF). European Parliament. 20 July 2009.
- ^ "Member of European Parliament envisages converting Tamils to Buddhism". TamilNet. 30 July 2008.
- ^ "This is Paradise: So much of right royal baloney". The Sunday Leader. 9 November 2008.
- ^ Bevins, Anthony (12 January 1993). "New MPs declare multitude of directorships". The Independent. Archived from the original on 21 June 2022.
- ^ "Declaration of Members' Financial Interests" (PDF). European Parliament. 3 April 2014.
- ^ "Aitken Spence PLC: Annual Report 2012/13" (PDF). Colombo Stock Exchange. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 July 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
- ^ "Aitken Spence PLC: Company Profile". Colombo Stock Exchange.
- ^ "Appointment of Independent Non Executive Directors to the Board of Aitken Spence Hotel Holdings PLC" (PDF). Colombo Stock Exchange. 30 June 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
- ^ "Aitken Spence Hotel Holdings PLC: Company Profile". Colombo Stock Exchange.
- ^ "MTD Walkers PLC Corporate Disclosure" (PDF). Colombo Stock Exchange. 29 February 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
- ^ "MTD Walkers PLC: Company Profile". Colombo Stock Exchange.
- ^ "Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka PLC: Annual Report 2012/13" (PDF). Colombo Stock Exchange. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 September 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
- ^ "Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka PLC: Company Profile". Colombo Stock Exchange.
- ^ "The Kingsbury PLC: Annual Report 2013/14" (PDF). Colombo Stock Exchange. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
- ^ "The Kingsbury PLC: Company Profile". Colombo Stock Exchange.
- ^ "Symphony Environmental Technologies PLC". Company Check. Archived from the original on 5 June 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
- ^ Annual Reports and Accounts 2013. Symphony Environmental Technologies PLC. p. 10.
- ^ "Symphony Recycling Technologies Limited". Company Check. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
- ^ "Symphony Plastics (2010) Limited". Company Check. Archived from the original on 1 June 2014.
- ^ "Deva Imperial Limited". Company Check. Archived from the original on 1 June 2014.
- ^ "Monte Zita Limited". Company Check. Archived from the original on 1 June 2014.
- ^ "Stassen Teas Limited". Company Check. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
- ^ "Airlines of the World Limited". Company Check. Archived from the original on 1 June 2014.
- ^ "Budget Hotels Limited". Company Check. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
- ^ "CMB Technologies Limited". Company Check. Archived from the original on 1 June 2014.
- ^ "Corporate and Public Affairs Strategy Limited". Company Check. Archived from the original on 5 June 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
- ^ "First European Communications Corporation Limited". Company Check. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
- ^ "Global Business Link Limited". Company Check. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
- ^ "International Management Consulting Group Limited". Company Check. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
- ^ "P.P.A.I. Limited". Company Check. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
- ^ "Policy Research Centre for Business Limited". Company Check. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
- ^ "Project Management (Balaton) Limited". Company Check. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
- ^ "Serendib Business Investments Limited". Company Check. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
- ^ "Speed Promotions Limited". Company Check. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
- ^ "Winfotech Europe Limited". Company Check. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
- ^ "World Corporate Travel Buyers Club Limited". Company Check. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
- ^ "Candidates for UN Secretary General". unsg.org.
- ^ "Another Lankan in UN S-G race?". The Island (Sri Lanka). 8 September 2006.
- ^ "Fiji's Foreign Minister rejects UN job claim". Radio Australia. 10 September 2006.
- ^ a b "For Dhanapala, this may be the last straw". The Sunday Leader. 17 September 2006.
- ^ "UNSC to hold more straw polls". Hindustan Times. Press Trust of India. 7 September 2006. Archived from the original on 7 June 2014.
- ^ MacAskill, Ewen; Tisdall, Simon; Pilkington, Ed (12 September 2006). "Security council divided on successor to Kofi Annan". The Guardian.
- ^ dignitatishumanae.com[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Declaration of Members' Financial Interests" (PDF). European Parliament. 7 July 2008.
- ^ Swaine, Jon; Waterfield, Bruno (16 October 2009). "British MEPs exploit loophole to pay relatives to work for them". The Daily Telegraph.
External links
- Official website
- European Parliament
- BBC Democracy Live Archived 8 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Nirj Deva