Anthony Simpson joined the Conservative Party. In 1979 Anthony Simpson was elected member of the European Parliament and remained an MEP until 1994. During that period he was member of the European Democratic Group, member of the Group of the European People's Party (Christian-Democratic Group), questor of the European Parliament, questor of the Parliament's Bureau, member of the Committee on Youth, Culture, Education, Information and Sport, member of the Committee on the Rules of Procedure and Petitions, member of the Quaestors, member of the Committee on Social Affairs and Employment, member of the Delegation for relations with the Member States of ASEAN and the ASEAN Interparliamentary Organisation (AIPO), member of the Committee on Development and Cooperation, member of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Citizens' Rights, member of the Delegation for relations with Canada, member of the Delegation for relations with the countries of Central America and Mexico and member of the Delegation for relations with the countries of Central America and Mexico.