Introduction
Councillor Timür Mark "Tim" Aker (born 23 May 1985) is a British politician and a Member of the European Parliament for the East of England region for the UK Independence Party. He was elected in 2014. He was head of UKIP's Policy Unit from August 2013 to January 2015, and was UKIP's candidate for the Thurrock constituency in the 2015 general election, coming third in a close 3-way election.
Early life
Aker was born in Orsett and grew up in Aveley. He attended Havering Sixth Form College. He went on to study at the University of Nottingham. He graduated with a BA in History and Politics.
He was previously campaign director for Get Britain Out and a coordinator for the TaxPayers' Alliance.
Aker is half-Turkish, his father emigrated from Turkey.
Political career
Referred to by The Spectator as one of UKIP's most recognisable figures, Aker stood unsuccessfully in the constituency of Thurrock in the 2015 general election. On 20 January 2015, Aker quit as UKIP's Head of Policy, with some press reporting that he was sacked for failing to complete the party's manifesto on time, a claim which the party denied.
Elections contested
European Parliament elections (Multi-member constituency; party list)
| Date of election | Region | Party | Votes | Percentage of votes | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 European election | East of England | UKIP | 542,812 | 34.5 | Elected |
United Kingdom general elections (Single-member constituencies)
| Date of election | Region | Party | Votes | Percentage of votes | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 General Election | Thurrock | UKIP | 15,718 | 31.7 | Unelected |
Thurrock Borough Council By-Election (Single-member ward)
| Date of election | Ward | Party | Votes | Percentage of votes | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 Thurrock Borough Council By-Election | Aveley & Uplands | UKIP | 747 | 40.9 | Elected |