Rudi Vis

Infobox MP


honorific-prefix =
name = Rudi Vis
honorific-suffix = MP
constituency_MP = Finchley and Golders Green
parliament =
majority = 741 (1.7%)
predecessor = "new constituency"
successor =
term_start = 1 May 1997
term_end =
birth_date = Birth date and age|1941|04|4|df=yes
birth_place = Alkmaar, Netherlands
death_date =
death_place =
nationality = British
spouse =
party = Labour
relations =
children =
residence =
alma_mater =
occupation =
profession =
religion =


website =
footnotes = Dr Rudolf Jan "Rudi" Vis (born 4 April 1941) is a politician in the United Kingdom for the Labour Party. He currently sits as Member of Parliament for Finchley and Golders Green — part of which formed the former constituency of Margaret Thatcher — which he won in the 1997 general election. This was one of the Labour's more unexpected victories and Vis had not even taken leave of his post as an economics lecturer prior to the victory.

Early life

Vis was born in 1941 in the town Alkmaar, in the Netherlands, here he went to the High School. From the University of Maryland, College Park, he gained a BSc in [http://www.bsos.umd.edu/econ/ Economics] in 1970. He is a graduate of the London School of Economics, gaining an MSc in Economics 1972. He gained a PhD in Economics from Brunel University in 1976. He was a lecturer at the North East London Polytechnic, which became the University of East London from 1971-96.

Parliamentary career

He also sits on the Council of Europe. His views are generally, though not dogmatically, to the left of the party. He abstained in the mayoral candidate selection of 2000. He opposed the use of PPP for the London Underground, the war on Iraq, top-up fees and foundation hospitals. However, he voted in favour of the government's controversial counter-terrorism legislation.

He won re-election in 2001 with a slightly increased majority, but in 2005 his majority slumped to 741, following an increase in support for the Liberal Democrats in the constituency. His constituency is now one of the top Conservative targets at the next general election owing to the seat's marginal status, needing only a swing of 0.2% to go Tory. Vis will not stand at the next election. [ [http://www.hendontimes.co.uk/display.var.2300378.0.rudi_vis_to_stand_down_at_next_election.php Rudi Vis to stand down at next election] ; "Hendon Times", 28 May 2008]

According to Dr Vis, his proudest achievement in Parliament has been responding to 90% of letters within three working days.

Personal life

He married Joan, with whom he had one son. They divorced. He married Jacqueline Suffling in Hertfordshire, with whom he has twin sons (born December 1994).

References

External links

* [http://politics.guardian.co.uk/person/0,9290,-5326,00.html Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Rudi Vis MP]
* [http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/rudi_vis/finchley_and_golders_green TheyWorkForYou.com - Rudi Vis MP]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/mpdb/html/255.stm BBC Politics]