Constituency : Redcar 2010-15
Ian scored the most surprising victory in the 2010 election, unseating the Solicitor-General Vera Baird in the Labour stronghold of Redcar. His victory was put down to recent job losses in the area. He did not expect to win, only to reduce Baird's majority.
Ian was born in Leeds. He was educated at Ashville College, Harrogate and U.M.I.S.T. He joined Yorkshire Electricity where he qualified as an accountant. He moved to Teesside in 1978 to join ICL. He joined the SDP in 1981. He retired in 2003 and took up politics as a new challenge. He stood for Redcar in 2005 overtaking the Tories for second place.
Ian sat on a number of all-party groups including Chemicals and Steel. He also sat on the Public Accounts Committee until 2014 when he became a Treasury spokesman.
In 2014 , Ian announced that he would be stepping down as an MP. He felt his experience wasn't fully utilised and he never wanted to serve more than five years. He also said a wide variety of experience should be more important than quotas. His talk of a "reverse glass ceiling" drew much criticism from feminists. He had a brief spell as Vince Cable's PPS in 2015.
Ian took up the role of Chair of the Northeast of England Process Industry Cluster.
Ian is active in Redcar Swimming Club.
He is now 66.
No comments:
Post a Comment