| Alan Simpson MP | |
|
Member of Parliament
for Nottingham South |
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 9 April 1992 |
|
| Preceded by | Martin Brandon-Bravo |
|---|---|
| Succeeded by | Incumbent |
|
|
|
| Born | 20 September 1948 Bootle, Liverpool |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Labour |
| Alma mater | Nottingham Trent University |
Alan John Simpson (born 20 September 1948 in Bootle, Liverpool) is a British Labour politician and Member of Parliament for Nottingham South.
Simpson came to Nottingham as a student, studying economics at Trent Polytechnic (now Nottingham Trent University). After graduating in 1972 he became a community worker, and later a research officer for the city's Racial Equality Council.
He joined the Labour party in 1973, his initial taste of elected office coming in 1985 when he became a county councillor, a post he held until 1993. He won the seat at the 1992 election and has held it since.
Simpson is on the left wing of the Labour party, a member (and currently treasurer) of the Socialist Campaign Group and on the board of the Tribune. His stances on many issues are opposed to those of the leadership of his party -- for
instance, he is a supporter of unilateral nuclear disarmament and opposes
globalisation,
Simpson recently received the distinction of being the first rebel MP to be formally reprimanded by the Labour chief whip. The reprimand stems from firstly his comment that New Labour's idea of democracy would have been recognised by General Franco, and secondly his recent comment to the Mail on Sunday that a choice between Blair and Brown was like having to pick between Saddam Hussein and his son Uday Hussein. Simpson saw nothing to apologise for and Jacqui Smith will now issue an official reprimand to his Constituency Labour Party and Labour's parliamentary officers, something most see as no more than a formality.
On 31 October, 2006, Simpson was one of 12 Labour MPs to back Plaid Cymru and the Scottish National Party's call for an inquiry into the Iraq War.[1]
Simpson announced his intention on 18 February, 2007 to stand down at the next General Election. In a letter to his constituency party members, the MP said a Gordon Brown-led premiership would be even worse and that he would be more effective campaigning for radical environmental change outside parliament, rather than remaining on the back benches. Another factor behind his decision is the birth last year of a baby daughter from his third marriage. [2]
Notes
- ^ Labour MPs who rebelled on Iraq. BBC News (31 October, 2006). Retrieved on 2006-10-31.
- ^ Blair critic to stand down as MP. BBC News (18 February 2007). Retrieved on 2007-02-18.
External links
- Alan Simpson MP official site
- ePolitix - Alan Simpson MP
- Guardian Politics Ask Aristotle - Alan Simpson MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - Alan Simpson MP
- The Public Whip - Alan Simpson MP voting record
- BBC News - Alan Simpson profile 10 February, 2005
- Interview with Alan Simpson about how we should make cities that do not steal from their children
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