ANDREW Brons was born in Hackney, London in 1947 and spent his early years in Sidcup in Kent.

At the age of eleven the family moved to Harrogate, where Andrew has lived ever since. He regards Yorkshire as his home with both daughters born in the county, along with a further three grand-daughters.

Andrew was educated at Harrogate Grammar School up to the age of sixteen, when he left school and worked for the Civil Service for sixteen months. He took 'A' levels, in Economics and Law, part-time at Harrogate College of Further Education and then went to York University where he read Politics and graduated in 1970.

For the past 40 years Andrew has been a lecturer at Harrogate College of Further Education teaching Politics and Law up to 'A' level and Access.

His hobbies include dog walking and horse riding, (without any proficiency he says after taking it up just four years ago). He also enjoys clay pigeon shooting, family history research and keeping his foreign languages skills up todate.

Andrew told the website:

"Although I have been involved in politics for most of my adult life, I am not one of those people who need to be involved.

"I am involved because I want to achieve success for our Party, not because politics satisfies a specific need in me.

"That might seem a strange thing for somebody about to embark on a career as an MEP to say. However, I see no contradiction."