Derek Vaughan is a

Welsh Labour Welsh Labour ( cy, Llafur Cymru) is the branch of the United Kingdom Labour Party in Wales and the largest party in modern Welsh politics. Welsh Labour and its forebears won a plurality of the Welsh vote at every UK general election since 192 ...

politician who served as a

Member of the European Parliament A Member of the European Parliament (MEP) is a person who has been elected to serve as a popular representative in the European Parliament. When the European Parliament (then known as the Common Assembly of the ECSC) first met in 1952, its ...

(MEP) for

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...

between 2009 and 2019.

Early life and career

Vaughan was born in Merthyr Tydfil, first studying at Afon Taf High School before working locally as an engineering apprentice and later for the Valuation Office Agency. He then went on to study Politics and History at

Swansea University Swansea University ( cy, Prifysgol Abertawe) is a public university, public research university located in Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom. It was chartered as University College of Swansea in 1920, as the fourth college of the University of Wales. ...

after which he returned to the Valuation Agency and then full-time as a

trades union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ...

official for the

Public and Commercial Services Union The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) is the sixth largest trade union in the United Kingdom. Most of its members work in UK government departments and other public bodies. History The union was founded in 1998 by the merger of th ...

, a role he held until 2004.

Political life

Vaughan was first elected to

Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council is the local authority for the county borough of Neath Port Talbot, one of the 22 principal areas of Wales. The council was controlled by the Labour Party from its creation in 1996 until 2022, when Plaid ...

in 1995, representing Neath North. He became leader of the Labour group, and leader of the council, in 2004 before standing down in 2010 following his election as MEP. He was also leader of the

Welsh Local Government Association The Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) ( cy, Cymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru) represents the interests of local authorities in Wales. It is an affiliated member of the Local Government Association of England and Wales and the regional em ...

from 2005 to 2008 and deputy leader from 2008 to 2009. In 2009, Vaughan was the first candidate on the Labour Party list for the 2009 European Parliament election in Wales, and was elected on 8 June. He stood successfully for re-election in the European Election 2014. In the European Parliament, he is vice-chair of the Committee on Budgetary Control and a member of the Committee on Regional Development. He is also part of the delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand. In 2016, the Welsh Election Study found that Vaughan, along with two other Welsh MEPs from Plaid Cymru and the Conservatives, had less name recognition than an invented name. Vaughan was appointed

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

(CBE) in the 2019 Birthday Honours.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vaughan, Derek 1961 births Living people Alumni of Swansea University People from Neath Welsh Labour MEPs MEPs for Wales 2009–2014 MEPs for Wales 2014–2019 Councillors in Wales People from Aberfan Commanders of the Order of the British Empire