Jonathan Evans was first elected to the European Parliament in 1999, having previously sat in the House of Commons as the MP for Brecon and Radnorshire from 1992-1997. In 2001 he became the Leader of the Conservatives in the European Parliament, having stood for election against his predecessor Edward McMillan-Scott, a position he held until 2004.

Evans retired from the European Parliament at the 2009 European Elections. He subsequently returned to the House of Commons as the MP for Cardiff North from 2010-2015, and was the Chairman of the Welsh Conservative Party from 2014-2017.