Who is Peter Wilding? The man who coined Brexit
PETER Wilding has been an influential figure in pro-Europe remainer campaigns.
As Britain celebrates Brexit up and down the country, the man who coined the word itself was in Brussels feeling sad. So who is he?
Who is Peter Wilding?
Peter Wilding is the man who coined the word “Brexit”. He is a pro-Europe political advisor and solicitor in European Law.
He is chairman of lobbyist group British Influence, who tried to sue against Brexit in 2017.
He has stood for the UK and EU Parliaments and was appointed by former UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, as Media and Policy Director of the Conservative Party in the EU from 2005-2008.
He has a 25-year track history in government relations for many lobbying groups in Europe.
He is also a political commentator, columnist and author of the book What Next? Britain’s future in Europe, where he created the theory of ‘smart power’.
Since 2018 he has been Brexit director of Top Midlands Law firm, FBC Mandby Bowdler.
When did Peter Wilding coin Brexit?
The Oxford English Dictionary credits the creation of the word Brexit to Peter Wilding when it added Brexit to its volumes in 2016.
Wilding wrote about “Brexit” in May 2012, eight months before Cameron had announced the referendum.
He said: “Unless a clear view is pushed that Britain must lead in Europe at the very least to achieve the completion of the single market then the portmanteau for Greek euro exit might be followed by another sad word, Brexit.”
Reflecting on being first to use the term, he said: “It certainly gives one the moral authority to say what it means.”
Mr Wilding told the he took his inspiration from Grexit, the term used for Greece’s possible exit from the eurozone.
He said: “In January and February 2012 it was all about the Greek crisis.
“It didn’t take a great leap of faith to replace the G with a B so that’s how it came about.
“It’s one of those odd things that crops up in life, I had forgotten all about it, so when I was told [by The Oxford Dictionary] I found it amusing.”
