Bio

Craig Mackinlay, Baron Mackinlay of Richborough, JP, is a Conservative Party politician and businessman. He was Member of Parliament (MP) for South Thanet from 2015 to 2024. Initially a member of the UK Independence Party (UKIP), Mackinlay served as the deputy leader of UKIP from 1997 to 2000 and the acting leader of UKIP in 1997, before joining the Conservative Party in 2005. In the 2015 general election, Mackinlay was elected to the House of Commons in South Thanet a Conservative candidate, defeating Nigel Farage, then leader of UKIP. As an MP, Mackinlay was a member of the Brexit Select Committee and the Common Sense Group. Mackinlay underwent a quadruple amputation following an infection of sepsis in 2023. He stood down as an MP at the 2024 general election and was appointed to the House of Lords.