Constituency : Cheltenham 1992-2005
Nigel took Cheltenham, a long-time Liberal target, from the Tories in controversial circumstances. Conservative Central Office imposed a black barrister John Taylor on the local party who weren't happy. I remember one of them going on Radio 5 and referring to Taylor as "this nigger". The Liberal Democrat campaign was criticised for emphasising Nigel's local credentials though that was standard stuff for any campaign.
Nigel was educated at Prince Henry's Grammar School in Evesham. Nigel became a computer operator for Nat West Bank then a systems analyst and project manager for ICL. He became a county councillor in 1989. He first contested Cheltenham in 1979 when he came second before making way for David Steel's man Richard Holme in the eighties.
Nigel held a number of spokesmanships including local government, sport and trade and industry.
In 2000 Nigel was attacked with a Samurai sword in his constituency office by a mentally unbalanced man for whom he'd provided a character reference. Nigel escaped with serious wounds to his hands thanks to the intervention of a research assistant who was killed.
Nigel stood down in 2005 and was elevated to the Lords as Baron Jones and resumed work as a consultant.
He is now 71.
No comments:
Post a Comment