Constituency : Farnworth 1970-81 ( Labour ) , 1981-3 ( SDP )
John was one of the lower profile MP in the initial clutch of defectors.
John was the son of a Congregational minister from Norwich. He was educated at William Hulme's Grammar School, Manchester and Oxford. He became a lecturer in economics at Manchester University. He stood at High Peak in 1964 but was first elected for Farnworth in 1970. He acted as an unofficial whip for Labour's E.E.C. rebels in 1972 and was a close friend of Roy Jenkins and Bill Rodgers.
John became the SDP's chief whip. He was involved in the seat negotiations with the Liberals and his sophisticated seat analysis probably did more to get the SDP a good allocation than Mike Thomas's belligerence.
John's seat was abolished in 1983 and he came third in the new seat of Worsley.
John went to work as Director of Studies at the Institute of International Affairs. He was accused author Anthony Glees of being an East German spy. He rejected the accusation and said he was deceived about the background of a Stasi agent he employed as a research fellow.
In 2000 John was elevated to the peerage. He served as the Liberal Dmocrats' chief whip in the Lords until 2005.He was elected Principal Deputy Chairman of Committees in 2008. He retired in 2015 when he was suffering from motor neurone disease.
John was a connoisseur of vintage wines.
He died in 2016 aged 80.
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