Career
Having stood for election using the campaign slogan, “Be sharp - vote Needle!”, Needle was elected as Member of the European Parliament for Norfolk in 1994, defeating the three-term Conservative incumbent Paul Howell, son of Ralph Howell the then Conservative Member of Parliament for Norfolk North which was in the European constituency. He stood again unsuccessfully for election in 1999 and in 2004, standing for the East of England constituency. He also served as vice chairman of the delegation for relations with Transcaucasus.
Needle is now Director & European Union Policy Advisor for EuroHealthNet, a non-profit organisation promoting health equity in Europe.
He lives partly in Brussels and partly in England with his family.
