Paul Nuttall
A steadfast Brexit campaigner who rose to lead UKIP and later became a central figure in Nigel Farage's Reform UK movement.
Born 1976 (age 50)·British politician·Birthday: November 30·Generation X
Biography
Paul Nuttall emerged from the political fringes of Merseyside to become a persistent thorn in the side of the British political establishment. First elected as a UKIP MEP in 2009, his plain-speaking, Northern demeanour made him a relatable face for a party often defined by its more flamboyant leaders. He served as deputy to Nigel Farage before taking the helm of UKIP himself in 2016, a tumultuous period where he struggled to define the party's post-referendum purpose. His tenure was marked by electoral disappointment and internal strife, culminating in his departure over the party's association with far-right figures. Nuttall's political journey, however, was one of ideological consistency; he seamlessly transitioned to the Brexit Party and then Reform UK, remaining a deputy chairman and a vocal advocate for the causes he long championed.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Paul was born in 1976, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Paul Was Born
The biggest hits of 1976
#1 Movie
Rocky
Best Picture
Rocky
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Paul's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1976Born
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1981Started school
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1989Became a teenager
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Could drive
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1994Could vote
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Turned 21
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2006Turned 30
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 40
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 50
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the Leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) from 2016 to 2017.
- Elected as a Member of the European Parliament for North West England in 2009 and served until 2019.
- Appointed Deputy Chairman of Reform UK (formerly the Brexit Party) in 2025.
- Contested the 2017 Stoke-on-Trent Central by-election as UKIP leader, finishing second.
Did You Know?
He holds a PhD in History from Liverpool Hope University.
He is a former chairman of the UKIP youth wing.
He was a semi-professional footballer for Tranmere Rovers' youth team.
He publicly left UKIP in 2018, criticising its direction under then-leader Gerard Batten.
“We need to take back control of our borders and our laws.”
