Malcolm Harbour

Malcolm John Charles Harbour, CBE (born 19 February 1947), is a British Conservative Party politician who was a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the West Midlands between 1999 and July 2014. He was a member of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group and the chairman of the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection.

Education and qualifications Harbour was educated at Bedford School (1960–64), Trinity College, Cambridge (1964–67) where he graduated in engineering, and at Aston University (1967–70) where he gained a diploma in management studies. In July 2008 he was awarded an honorary DSc by Aston University for services to science, technology and the European Union.

Motor industry Harbour spent 32 years in the motor industry, as an engineer, a senior commercial executive, a consultant and a researcher. In 1992 he became a founding director of the International Car Distribution Programme and in 1998 initiated the 3DayCar Programme, studying the reconfiguration of the automotive supply chain. He began his motor industry career in the BMC Longbridge Plant as an Austin Engineering apprentice in 1967. After working as a design and development engineer, he spent eight years planning and managing new product programmes in the Rover Triumph Division. In 1980 he became Strategic Planning Director for Austin Rover, in 1982 Marketing Director, in 1984 UK Sales Director and 1986 Overseas Sales Director. In 1989, he jointly founded the specialist consultants Harbour Wade Brown.

European Parliament Harbour became an active member of the Conservative Party in 1972.

Personal life Harbour married his wife, Penny, in 1969. He has two daughters, Louise and Katy, and four grandchildren. He lives in Solihull. His interests include travel, cooking, choral singing and motor racing.

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