John Wilkinson

Conservative MP Ruislip Northwood

Date of birth

23 September 1940

Political profile

John Wilkinson is one of the longest serving Conservative MPs in the present House of Commons, having first been elected in 1970. He was, however, out of Parliament between February 1974 and 1979.

During his career, he has remained almost exclusively on the backbenches, only serving a brief stint in the first years of the Thatcher government as a parliamentary private secretary.

He is a former member of the RAF and is an expert on both military and civil aviation and a frequent contributor to defence debates.

He is a supporter of high levels of defence spending and is sceptical about British military actions which do not have an immediate relevance to the British national interest.

His concern for British interests is also behind his profound Euroscepticism - he was one of the handful of Conservative MPs to support a referendum on continued British membership of the European Union.

He was also one of the hardcore of Maastricht rebels who ultimately lost the Conservative Whip after voting against European budget provisions.

Contact

Constituency office 01923 822876