Diane James

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Diane Martine James (born 20 November 1959 in Bedford, England) is a British politician. She was a Member of the European Parliament for South East England from 2014 to 2019. She has belonged to several parties: Conservative (before 2007), Independent (2007–2011 and again from November 2016), UKIP (2011–2016), and Reform UK (Brexit Party) since 2019.

James held roles in UKIP as Deputy Leader (February–September 2016) and Home Affairs and Justice Spokesperson (2014–2016). In September 2016 she was named leader-designate of UKIP, the first woman to hold the post, but resigned on 4 October 2016 before taking office and later left the party. She served as a councillor on Waverley Borough Council for Ewhurst from 2007 to 2015.

She joined the Brexit Party in 2019 and left the European Parliament when her term ended. Personal background: educated at Rochester Grammar School and Thames Valley University; worked for about thirty years in health and runs an international consultancy; fluent in French and German. She has made various notable statements, such as signing a document with the phrase “vi coactus” (under duress), and in 2017 suggesting she might stand for the Conservatives, though she did not run in the 2017 election.