Who's Who

Details about each of Godfrey's team are given below

Godfrey Bloom employs no immediate members of his family on his secretarial allowance unlike most other MEPs (Non-UKIP). Also, he returns any committee attendance allowances to Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire charities. Charities wishing to be placed on the selected list should apply to his office.

 

Emma Lund - Personal Assistant
Emma Brader

Emma is Godfrey's PA. She is 26, educated at Ripon Grammar School with A Level success in Maths Chemistry Biology and General studies. After making the decision not to go to university she spent a year at the North of England College where she learned secretarial skills including Pitman's shorthand.

 

On leaving college Emma was offered a full-time secretarial position to a Partner in one of the country's leading firms of solicitors in Leeds. She spent two years here until a recently elected Godfrey Bloom MEP approached her to work for him as his Personal Assistant.

 

Outside of work Emma has a variety of interests. She is of farming stock and is keen on the horses bred on the farm, taking on a large part of the work involved with the bringing-on of the young stock who progress through hunting to point-to-pointing. A keen amateur jockey herself, Emma rode her first winner at Wykeham point to point course recently. She is a cricket player (making up in enthusiasm what she lacks in skill) and also plays the guitar.


Jonathan Arnott - Political Correspondent / Researcher
Jonathan Arnott

Jonathan is 27 and has lived in Sheffield all his life.  His hobbies include football, chess, poker and playing a variety of musical instruments. Jonathan represented England at chess at Under-21 level, and captained the Yorkshire adult team to two national rapidplay trophies.  He competed in the Gibraltar International Chess Festival in January 2008, which featured some of the world's top players, achieving a score of 4.5 out of 10.  Jonathan is a committed Christian and has preached at several churches in Sheffield and Rotherham. 

 

Jonathan believes that many people choose not to vote because they don’t think that their vote will make a difference.  By allowing people to vote on the issues that matter to them, Jonathan thinks that people will feel more involved in their local communities.  He is concerned by the fact that most of Britain’s new laws are now made in Brussels, which has taken even more power away from the people.

 

He believes that it is important to stand up for what he believes in and after much thought, Jonathan decided to join the UK Independence Party in 2001. He stood for Parliament at the 2005 general election and has stood 6 times locally at council elections, achieving 13.8% of the vote in May 2008. He will be a UKIP candidate at the next European elections in June 2009 and has been selected as the UKIP candidate for the (new) Sheffield South-East constituency at the next General election.

 

Career

Jonathan gained a Master’s Degree in Mathematics from Sheffield University at age 19.  From 2000 to 2008, he worked as a Mathematics teacher at Handsworth Christian School in Sheffield, and was Head Of Mathematics from 2006.  He has also worked part-time for Yorkshire's UK Independence Party MEP Godfrey Bloom as a political researcher since 2004.  He was appointed as UKIP's Local Elections co-ordinator in 2005 and became responsible for UKIP’s local campaigns nationwide.  He co-authored UKIP's national Manifesto for the local elections in 2006, 2007 and 2008.   

 

At the 2008 UK Independence Party Conference, Jonathan was appointed as the new UK Independence Party General Secretary, and was featured on BBC1's The Politics Show in September 2008. 

 

Charity work

Jonathan has 12 years of broadcasting experience in Hospital Radio.  From 2004 to 2008 he chaired a Sheffield charity providing activities for local young people and he continues to chair SASCA, the Sheffield Schools' Chess Association. At sixth-form and university, Jonathan raised funds for a number of charities.


Eric Richards. TD
Eric Richards

After national service in the RAF, Eric, born in North Lincolnshire, worked as a pianist in London nightclubs and was also a church organist. Then in the early 1960s he studied for the ministry of the Church of England, and worked as a priest in Cambridge and Peterborough. Joining the Missions to Seamen, he worked in Flying Angel clubs in Holland, Belgium, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and on the Thames. In Sri Lanka he learned a good deal about Buddhism through his friendship with leading Buddhist clergy and scholars. With a Moorish Jeweller in the Colombo Mission he was also privileged to share in Moslem family life there. Working with seafarers regardless of their nationality Eric gained a wide knowledge of national customs, and also learned how to drink vodka the Russian way.  
  
He returned to the UK to look after Seafarers Clubs on the Thames, and later decided to take a parish for the sake of the stability of his family life. Working in parishes in East Yorkshire he also became Archbishop's Adviser on Rural Affairs, and later a Canon of York Minster. Escorting tours of Palestine and Israel for many years he learned a good deal about Judaism from the fountain-head. He also belonged to the Territorial Army working with 150 Regiment RCT based in Hull, Doncaster, Leeds, and Tynemouth, and became familiar with the diversity of outlook in such a small area. His military service concluded as Senior Chaplain of the TA.  

 

In the mid 1990s he joined the Orthodox Church, and since that time has travelled extensively in the Balkans and Italy. In addition he has spent much time in Syria and Lebanon, living with friends and colleagues, gaining experience of total immersion in the Arab community. Eric brings his wide experience of communication, cultures, politics, and religions, to play in his capacity as an assistant to Godfrey Bloom. 

Eric is a Member of the Institute of Horticulture, (MIHort) and an office holder. He is also a contributing member of the Society of Chemical Industry.


Victoria Skowronek
Victoria Skrowronek

Victoria, 21, was educated at Pocklington School where she obtained 9 GSCE’s enabling her to attend Bishop Burton College, where she gained a BTEC National Diploma in Travel and Tourism. She then spent a year at Quest Business Training (incorporating St. James’s, Queen’s and Lucie Claytons) where she was taught secretarial skills including Tee line Shorthand.

 

After leaving college she was offered a part-time job with Godfrey Bloom as secretarial assistant.

From an early age she learnt the enjoyment of retail therapy and loves the colour pink.


Jane Collins
Jane Collins
DOB. 17.02.62
Regional Organiser and political Agent for Godfrey Bloom MEP since 2004.
Jane is married with one child, Rebecca, who is 15 years old. Jane is a well known and accomplished horsewoman who became involved in politics after the birth of her Daughter. She is a dedicated UKIP supporter along with the well being of the Country her daughter is being brought up in.