Sir Irvine Patnick, OBE

"I am proud to be Patron of the Home Business Alliance. In my view the future of the UK business community depends on its spread and growth at the grass roots level. I became Patron of the Home Business Alliance because I could see that it gives a real helping hand to business people at the grass roots, to help them start up and grow. Furthermore, I see the Home Business Alliance's help as being unique because, unlike government agencies or theorists or training courses, it comes from practising business men and women. I wish the Home Business Alliance had been around when I started up!"

Sir Irvine Patnick became his own boss at an early age in 1958 when he set up a home-based business as a building contractor.

A battle over planning permission eventually led him to seek election with Sheffield City Council. He went on to become Opposition Leader on South Yorkshire County Council.

One day he injured his back on a building site and the consultants advised a new occupation. He then joined a textile company, became a director and was elected to Parliament.

Sir Irvine was a Member of Parliament for over ten years and was a Government Minister. He served in the Whip's office where he became a Lord Commissioner of Her Majesty's Treasury, which is a senior Government Whip. He was Deputy Chairman of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Select Committee.

He has considerable, detailed and expert knowledge of the workings of local Government, government departments and decision-making in Parliament and Whitehall. Sir Irvine is a Freeman of the City of London.

He is also well known and respected throughout Parliament, local government and the business community, especially in the North of England.

Sir Irvine writes regularly for the Home Business Alliance members' journal, The BOSS.