Craig Mackinlay#Parliamentary voting record

Of Scottish heritage, Mackinlay was born on 7 October 1966 in Chatham and raised in Kent. His parents, Colin and Margaret Mackinlay, were both born in Kent. After attending Rainham Mark Grammar School, he studied zoology and comparative physiology at the University of Birmingham, graduating with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree. He qualified as a chartered accountant (FCA) and a chartered tax adviser (CTA), and later became a partner in a Kent firm.{{cite web| url= http://www.craigmackinlay.com/about-craig| title= About Craig| publisher= Craig Mackinlay personal website| access-date= 19 May 2015| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150518212615/http://www.craigmackinlay.com/about-craig| archive-date= 18 May 2015| url-status= dead| df= dmy-all}}{{Who's Who |title=Mackinlay, Craig |year=2023 |id=U283956 |doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U283956}}

Mackinlay first became engaged in politics after observing the impact of Britain's membership of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism on clients and friends who were going bankrupt as a result of soaring interest rates.{{cite book

| title = Cranks and Gadflies: The Story of UKIP

| last = Daniel

| first = Mark

| year = 2005

| publisher = Timewell Press

| location = Oxford

| isbn = 1-85-725209-8

| page = 11

| quote = he had no interest in politics until he observed at close quarters the effects of Britain's short lived and ill-fated membership of the EU's Exchange Rate Mechanism.}} After hearing Alan Sked, a professor at the London School of Economics, speak on a BBC politics programme,{{cite book

| title = Cranks and Gadflies: The Story of UKIP

| last = Daniel

| first = Mark

| year = 2005

| publisher = Timewell Press

| location = Oxford

| isbn = 1-85-725209-8

| page = 11

| quote = He heard Sked on a BBC politics programme, telephoned and attended a meeting at the LSE. He too was dragooned into standing for the 1992 election.}} he was persuaded to stand at the 1992 general election as an independent in support of the Anti-Federalist League, receiving 248 votes in Gillingham.

{{cite web

| url = http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge92/i09.htm

| access-date = 25 June 2012

| publisher = politicsresources.net

| title = UK General Election results April 1992

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170116214521/http://politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge92/i09.htm

| archive-date = 16 January 2017

| url-status = dead

| df = dmy-all

}}

When the Anti-Federalist League evolved into the UK Independence Party (UKIP), Mackinlay was appointed its founding treasurer{{cite book

| title = Cranks and Gadflies: The Story of UKIP

| last = Daniel

| first = Mark

| year = 2005

| publisher = Timewell Press

| location = Oxford

| isbn = 1-85-725209-8

| page = 47

| quote = Craig Mackinlay, as the Party Treasurer...}} and Vice-Chairman. He stood again in Gillingham at the 1997 general election, receiving 590 votes.{{cite web

| url = https://www.theguardian.com/politics/constituency/956/gillingham

| access-date = 25 June 2012

| work = The Guardian

| title = Constituency profile: Gillingham}}

In July 1997, Sked resigned as UKIP leader, nominating Mackinlay as his successor.{{cite book

| title = Cranks and Gadflies: The Story of UKIP

| last = Daniel

| first = Mark

| year = 2005

| publisher = Timewell Press

| location = Oxford

| isbn = 1-85-725209-8

| pages = 48–51

| quote = he resigned the party leadership, naming Craig Mackinlay as his successor... Holmes accepted the leadership and immediately appointed Mackinlay as his deputy}} Mackinlay decided that the only way to keep the party going was to rework its constitution and hold a leadership election. Mackinlay stood in the election against Michael Holmes{{cite web|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/4530/MICHAEL+JOHN_HOLMES_home.html|title=Michael John HOLMES|work=europa.eu}} and Gerald Roberts. Holmes, with the backing of Nigel Farage, easily won and appointed Mackinlay as his deputy.

After the European Parliament election in 1999, Holmes dismissed Mackinlay and Party Secretary Tony Scholefield at a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, which prompted an immediate vote of no confidence in Holmes, who agreed to resign the following month. After extensive wrangling, Jeffrey Titford was elected as the new party leader; Mackinlay stepped down as deputy, but remained on its NEC.

Mackinlay remained active in UKIP, standing in Totnes at the 2001 general election, at which he received 6.1% of the vote,{{cite web

| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/vote2001/results_constituencies/constituencies/584.stm

| access-date = 25 June 2012

| work = BBC News

| title = Results & Constituencies: Totnes}} then back again in Gillingham in 2005, where he polled 2.6%. He also stood unsuccessfully in the 1994, 1999 and 2004 European elections.[http://www.noticias.info/Archivo/2005/200507/20050715/20050715_84038.shtm CONSERVATIVES:Founding member of the UKIP joins Conservative Party] {{Dead link|date=June 2012}}, noticias.info, 15 July 2005

In July 2005, Mackinlay defected from UKIP to the Conservative Party. He was elected as a Conservative councillor on Medway Council in 2007 and re-elected in May 2011 with an increased majority.{{cite web

| url = http://democracy.medway.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=163

| access-date = 25 June 2012

| publisher = Medway Council

| title = Councillor Craig Mackinlay}}{{Cite web|url=https://democracy.medway.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=163|title=Council and democracy|last=Medway Council|date=6 October 2010|access-date=14 September 2016}}

In 2010, he fell out with Kent Police over Special Constable David Craggs, who was advised that there would be no conflict with him standing for election to Medway Council but, after being elected as a councillor, was informed that he could not hold both roles.{{cite web

| url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-11120314

| date = 28 August 2010

| access-date = 25 June 2012

| work = BBC News

| title = Medway councillor resigns over conflict of interest

| quote = Councillor Craig Mackinlay, who also represents the River Ward, said there were no regulations preventing special constables from serving on the council and said he knew of three who are serving MPs.}} In May 2011, Mackinlay was appointed a member of Kent Police Authority.{{cite web|url=http://www.kentpoliceauthority.gov.uk/news/changes-to-medway-members-who-police-the-police

|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121223203715/http://www.kentpoliceauthority.gov.uk/news/changes-to-medway-members-who-police-the-police

|url-status=dead

|archive-date=23 December 2012

|date=15 June 2011

|access-date=25 June 2012

|publisher=Kent Police Authority

|title=Changes to Medway members who police the police

}}

In June 2012, Mackinlay was selected as the Conservative candidate for the office of Kent Police and Crime Commissioner. In the November 2012 county-wide poll, he lost to the former Kent Police Authority chair Ann Barnes, by a 114,137–60,248 margin, on a turnout of just under 16%.{{cite web |url=http://www.kentparo.org.uk/results.aspx

|date=16 November 2012

|access-date=17 November 2012

|publisher=Kent Police Area Returning Officer

|title=Results of the election

|url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121230225418/http://www.kentparo.org.uk/results.aspx

|archive-date=30 December 2012

|df=dmy

}}

In 2015, Mackinlay was elected as Member of Parliament for South Thanet at the general election, where he stood against UKIP leader Nigel Farage and comedian Al Murray, among others.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/nigel-farage/11588784/south-thanet-seat.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150509150204/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/nigel-farage/11588784/south-thanet-seat.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 May 2015|title=Nigel Farage fails to win South Thanet seat as he loses to Conservatives|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=8 May 2015|access-date=8 May 2015}} Conservative Laura Sandys had represented the constituency in the House of Commons since the 2010 general election and retired after one term in Parliament.

In October 2017, Mackinlay said "unemployed young people from Glasgow should get on their bikes and work with gorgeous EU women on farms in the south of England after Brexit." Labour MSP James Kelly responded that the comments were "abhorrent and offensive", while Jenny Gilruth MSP said that the comments were "sexist and patronising".{{cite news|title=Tory MP tells Scots 'get on your bike' and work on farms|url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/tory-mp-tells-scots-get-on-your-bike-and-work-on-farms-1-4575851|work=The Scotsman|access-date=29 September 2018|date=2 October 2017}}

In June 2018 it was reported that Mackinlay had been found to have twice breached parliament's rules due to a potential financial interest, according to a decision by its standards watchdog. The MP had used his position to press for the reopening of an airport from which his company had planned to run low-cost flights. Mackinlay responded that he no longer had plans for running flights from Manston Airport and that there "was no suggestion he benefited financially from raising the matter in the Commons."{{cite news|title=Tory MP breaches Commons rules by calling to reopen airport from which he had wanted to run his own airline|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/craig-mackinlay-manston-airport-tory-mp-commons-rules-broken-a8400906.html|work=Independent|access-date=29 September 2018|date=16 June 2018}}

In the House of Commons, Mackinlay sat on the Committee on Exiting the European Union. He has previously sat on the Work and Pensions Select Committee and European Scrutiny Committee.{{cite web|title=Craig Mackinlay|url=https://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/craig-mackinlay/4529|website=Parliament UK|access-date=29 September 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/work-and-pensions-committee/membership/|title=Work and Pensions Committee – membership|work=UK Parliament|access-date=26 September 2015}}

Following an interim report on the connections between colonialism and properties now in the care of the National Trust, including links with historic slavery, Mackinlay was among the signatories of a letter in November 2020 to The Telegraph from the "Common Sense Group" of Conservative Parliamentarians. The letter accused the National Trust of being "coloured by cultural Marxist dogma, colloquially known as the 'woke agenda'".{{cite letter |recipient=the Daily Telegraph |subject=Britain's heroes |language=English |date=9 November 2020 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2020/11/09/letterswill-police-break-armistice-day-ceremonies-wednesday/ |access-date=30 January 2021}}

Mackinlay leads the Net Zero Scrutiny Group, a group created in 2021 of about 20 Conservative MPs who argue against the Westminster consensus to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050 regardless of the economic cost. They have argued for fracking in the United Kingdom to be resumed and cast doubt on the viability and desirability of a planned phase-out of fossil fuel vehicles.{{cite news |url=https://www.itv.com/news/2021-07-31/tory-backbenchers-prepare-to-fight-cost-of-net-zero-greenhouse-gas-emissions |title=Tory backbenchers prepare to fight cost of net zero greenhouse gas emissions |last=Asthana |first=Anushka |work=ITV News |date=31 July 2021 |access-date=18 February 2022}}{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/feb/17/staff-from-climate-sceptic-group-recruited-by-tory-mp-behind-net-zero-attacks |title=Staff from climate sceptic group recruited by Tory MP behind net zero attacks |last=Horton |first=Helena |newspaper=The Guardian |date=17 February 2022 |access-date=18 February 2022}}

Mackinlay initially planned to contest the new seat of East Thanet, which contained the majority of his former seat of South Thanet, at the 2024 general election,{{Cite news |date=2024-05-21 |title=My feet and hands were amputated after sepsis, says MP |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-69037424 |access-date=2024-05-21 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}} but announced on 24 May 2024 that he would not do so, owing to his ongoing rehabilitation and recovery from a severe case of sepsis that required the amputation of his lower arms and legs.{{Cite web |title=MP Mackinlay decides not seek re-election after sepsis recovery |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1ee9py119go |access-date=2024-05-24 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=x.com |url=https://x.com/cmackinlay/status/1793976066035294276 |access-date=2024-05-24 |website=X (formerly Twitter)}}

In 2016–17, the 2015 general election party spending investigation revealed that the Conservative Party had spent many thousands of pounds centrally on campaign buses to transport activists, and hotel accommodation for the activists, who went to campaign in marginal constituencies, including South Thanet. The expenditure on the buses was declared by the Conservative Party on its national declaration of "Campaign Spending", but in some cases the hotel accommodation was not declared at all as election spending when it should have been. In addition, there was controversy about whether the expenditure, both on the buses and the accommodation, should have been declared on the declarations of expenditure for the constituency made by each candidate's election agent. Kent Police began an investigation into the spending returns of Mackinlay following the Channel 4 report.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}

In a court case on 1 June 2016, brought by Mackinlay and his election agent Nathan Gray,{{cite web|last=Stone|first=Jon|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tories-election-fraud-block-police-inquiry-ukip-farage-thanet-south-craig-mckinlay-a7059296.html |title=Tory MP moves to block police inquiry into alleged election fraud |work=The Independent |date=1 June 2016 |access-date=11 July 2016}} District Judge Barron granted more time for investigation saying "In this case, the allegations are far-reaching and the consequences of a conviction would be of a local and national significance with the potential for election results being declared void."{{cite news|author=Nicola Slawson and agencies |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jun/01/judge-grants-extension-to-police-investigation-into-tory-election |title=Judge grants extension to police investigation into Tory election fraud |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=11 July 2016|date=June 2016 }}

On 14 March 2017, it was reported that Mackinlay had been interviewed under caution by officers investigating the allegations.{{cite news|title=MP Craig Mackinlay quizzed over election expenses|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-39271625|access-date=15 March 2017|work=BBC News|date=14 March 2017}} The day after, Channel 4 News published leaked emails, alleging that Theresa May's Political Secretary Stephen Parkinson, and Chris Brannigan, Director of Government Relations at the Cabinet Office, also took a key role in Mackinlay's campaign.[https://www.channel4.com/news/election-expenses-new-emails-show-more-members-of-pms-top-team-involved Election Expenses: New emails show more members of PM’s top team involved] (15 March 2017). On 18 April 2017, Kent police passed Mackinlay's file to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to be considered for prosecution.Daniel Clark, '[http://www.devonlive.com/another-police-force-submits-file-to-prosecutors-in-election-expenses-investigation/story-30298115-detail/story.html#Aq3560D7IJjsJUuQ.99 Another police force submits file to prosecutors in election expenses investigation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170427132800/http://www.devonlive.com/another-police-force-submits-file-to-prosecutors-in-election-expenses-investigation/story-30298115-detail/story.html#Aq3560D7IJjsJUuQ.99 |date=27 April 2017 }}', 27 April 2017. The CPS decided on 2 June 2017 that it was in the public interest to authorise charges under the Representation of the People Act 1983 against three people: Mackinlay, his agent Nathan Gray, and a party activist, Marion Little.{{cite web|title=CPS statement on election expenses CPS statement on election expenses|url=http://cps.gov.uk/news/latest_news/cps-statement-election-expenses/|access-date=2 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170605125602/http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/latest_news/cps-statement-election-expenses/|archive-date=5 June 2017|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-kent-40129826|title=South Thanet Tory candidate Craig Mackinlay charged over expenses|date=2 June 2017|work=BBC News}} Appearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 4 July 2017, the three pleaded not guilty and were released on unconditional bail pending an appearance at Southwark Crown Court on 1 August 2017.{{Cite web|url=http://news.sky.com/story/tory-mp-craig-mackinlay-appears-in-court-over-election-expenses-10936430|title=Tory MP Craig Mackinlay appears in court over election expenses|date=4 July 2017|work=Sky News}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jul/04/tory-mp-craig-mackinlay-denies-election-spending-charges|title=Tory MP Craig Mackinlay denies election spending charges|date=4 July 2017|work=The Guardian}}

Later in August 2017, a trial date of 14 May 2018 was set for Mackinlay on charges relating to his 2015 general election expenses, alongside Little and Gray.[https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/aug/15/date-set-for-conservative-mp-craig-mackinlay-trial-over-election-expenses Date set for Conservative MP's trial over election expenses] The Guardian, 15 August 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017. The trial eventually started on 15 October 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.thelawpages.com/court-hearings-lists/crown-court-lists-archive.php|title=thelawpages.com hearing search|at=case T20177253}} Gray was acquitted in December 2018,'[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/dec/13/tory-aide-nathan-gray-cleared-of-falsifying-election-claim Tory aide cleared of falsifying election expenses claim ]', The Guardian (13 December 2018). and Mackinlay was acquitted on 9 January 2019.{{Cite news|url=https://www.channel4.com/news/tory-party-worker-convicted-over-election-expenses-breach|title=Tory party worker convicted over election expenses breach|website=Channel 4 News|language=en-GB|date=9 January 2019|access-date=2019-01-09}} Little was convicted of two counts relating to falsifying election expenses and was given a nine-month suspended prison sentence and fined £5,000;{{Cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jan/09/craig-mackinlay-tory-mp-cleared-breaking-2015-general-election-expenses-rules | title=Tory official convicted of falsifying expenses in race against Farage| newspaper=The Guardian| date=9 January 2019| last1=Syal| first1=Rajeev}} the court concluded that Mackinlay and Gray had signed documents falsified by Little "in good faith, not knowing what she had done".{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-kent-46749743|title=MP Craig Mackinlay cleared of election expenses fraud|date=9 January 2019|work=BBC News}}

Mackinlay was appointed a justice of the peace on the North Kent bench in 2006. A freeman of the City of London,{{cite web|url=http://www.freemen-few.org.uk/|title=Freemen-FEW – The Freemen of England & Wales – www.freemen-few.org.uk|work=freemen-few.org.uk}} he served as a trustee of three Kent charities: Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust, Foord Almshouses in Rochester, and Medway Sculpture Trust.{{cite web|url=http://www.samholland.co.uk/mariners.html|title=Sam Holland Sculpture|work=samholland.co.uk}}{{cite web |url=http://www.kentpoliceauthority.gov.uk/Upload/Members/RegisterOfInterests/MACKINLAY%20CRAIG.pdf |title=Notice of Members' Registrable Interests: Craig Mackinlay |access-date=19 July 2012 |publisher=Kent Police Authority |archive-url=https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20120829100538/http://www.kentpoliceauthority.gov.uk/Upload/Members/RegisterOfInterests/MACKINLAY%20CRAIG.pdf |archive-date=29 August 2012}}

After standing down as an MP, Mackinlay was nominated for a life peerage in the 2024 Dissolution Honours.{{London Gazette |date=7 August 2024 |issue=64480 |page=15222 |supp=y}}{{Cite web |title=Dissolution Peerages 2024 |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dissolution-peerages-2024 |access-date=4 July 2024 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Whannel |first=Kate |date=4 July 2024 |title=Theresa May and 'bionic' MP awarded peerages |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c84975xgdwlo |work=BBC News |language=en |access-date=4 July 2024}} Created Baron Mackinlay of Richborough, of Rochester in the County of Kent, on 23 August 2024,{{Edinburgh Gazette |date=28 August 2024 |issue=29006 |page=1466}} he was introduced to the House of Lords on 17 October. He pledged to use his position to campaign for greater awareness of sepsis and to improve the quality of prosthetics offered to amputees.{{Cite news |last=Maisner |first=Stuart |date=17 October 2024 |title='Bionic lord' takes seat in upper house |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly5j4l25q6o |work=BBC News |language=en |access-date=17 October 2024}}

Mackinlay married Katalin "Kati" Madi, a Hungarian pharmacist, in 2011. They have a daughter.{{Cite news |last=Carpenter |first=Louise |date=4 June 2024 |title=Kati Mackinlay: 'I was never prepared to say goodbye to Craig. I never promised him that I would look after Olivia' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/06/04/craig-mackinlay-sepsis-nhs-kati-interview-mp/ |work=The Telegraph |language=en |access-date=23 August 2024}}

In September 2023, Mackinlay developed a very rapidly progressing case of sepsis and was placed in an induced coma for 16 days. He underwent a quadruple amputation of his lower limbs on 1 December at St Thomas' Hospital in London. Mackinlay was fitted with prosthetic limbs and expressed a desire to be known as the first "bionic MP". He received a rare standing ovation when he returned to the House of Commons on 22 May 2024.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/may/22/mp-craig-mackinlay-ovation-commons-sepsis-hands-feet-amputated |title=MP Craig Mackinlay returns to Commons after having hands and feet amputated |first1=Peter |last1=Walker |date=22 May 2024 |accessdate=22 May 2024 |work=The Guardian}}

{{Notelist}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• [http://www.craigmackinlay.com/ The official Craig Mackinlay website]
• {{UK MP links |parliament=craig-mackinlay/4529 |publicwhip=Craig_Mackinlay |theywork=craig_mackinlay}}
• [http://www.souththanetconservatives.org.uk/craig-mackinlay-prospective-parliamentary-candidate-ppc www.souththanetconservatives.org.uk]

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{{s-bef|before=Laura Sandys}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament
for South Thanet|years=2015–2024}}

{{s-aft|after = Polly Billington
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{{UKIP}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mackinlay, Craig}}

Category:1966 births

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