James Goldsmith

James Goldsmith
Leader of the Referendum Party
In office
1994–1997
Preceded byOffice created
Succeeded byOffice abolished
Member of the European Parliament for France
In office
1994–1997
Personal details
Born
James Michael Goldsmith

(1933-02-26)26 February 1933
Paris, France
Died18 July 1997(1997-07-18) (aged 64)
Benahavís, Spain
Nationality
  • French
  • British
Political party
Spouses
  • María Isabel Patiño y Borbón
    (m. 1954; died 1954)
  • Ginette Christiane Léry
    (m. 1956; div. 1978)
  • (m. 1978)
Domestic partnerLaure Boulay de La Meurthe
Children8, including Jemima, Zac, Ben, and Charlotte
Parents
RelativesSee Goldsmith family
EducationMillfield, Eton College
Known forFinance, Eurosceptic politician
Websitesirjamesgoldsmith.com

Sir James Michael Goldsmith (26 February 1933 – 18 July 1997) was a French-British[1] financier, tycoon[2] and politician who was a member of the Goldsmith family.

His controversial business and finance career led to ongoing clashes with British media, frequently involving litigation or the threat of litigation.

In 1994 he was elected to represent a French constituency as a Member of the European Parliament. He founded the short-lived Eurosceptic Referendum Party in the United Kingdom, which became an early campaigner for opposition to Britain's membership of the European Union.

  1. ^ "Sir James Goldsmith". The Telegraph. 21 July 1997. Archived from the original on 24 July 2010. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  2. ^ Fallon, Ivan. (1991). Billionaire: The Life and Times of Sir James Goldsmith. ISBN 0-09-174380-X.