Constituency : Southampton Test 1966-70, Southampton Itchen 1971-81 ( Labour) ,1981-3 ( SDP )
Like Dickson Mabon, Bob decided to quit Labour following the party conference in the autumn. He had already announced that he would not stand for Labour at the next election. He cited nuclear disarmament, further nationalisation, import controls and withdrawing Britain from the Common Market as his reasons for leaving.
"Bob" was actually Richard Charles Mitchell. He was born in Southampton to a sailor. He was educated at Taunton Grammar School and the University of Southampton. He went into teaching and rose to deputy head of a secondary school. He was active in the N.U.T. and a borough councillor from 1955. He contested New Forest in 1959. In 1964 he contested Southampton Test and came very close. He won it by 2,000 votes in 1966 but was defeated in 1970. In 1971 he fought a by-election in the neighbouring seat of Southampton Itchen and won it easily. He was a known right winger, supporting E.E.C. membership and NATO though also the nationalisation of Britain's ports.He served as PPS to Shirley Williams and was an indirectly elected member of the European Parliament.
Bob's personal vote allowed him to come second in 1983, 5,000 votes behind the Tory. He tried to be selected for the Portsmouth South by-election in 1984 but lost out to Mike Hancock. He fought Southampton Itchen again in 1987 but came third.
After a year unemployed, Bob became a lecturer in Business Studies at Eastleigh College of Further Education. He retired in 1993. He backed Labour when Tony Blair took control.
Bob was a social conservative who opposed abortion and supported the monarchy.
Bob was tall and academic in appearance with prematurely white hair. He was a keen chess player.
He died in 2003 aged 76.
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