Nigel Spearing

Nigel John Spearing
Member of Parliament for Newham South
In office 23 May 1974 – 1 May 1997
Preceded by	Elwyn Jones
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Member of Parliament for Acton
In office 18 June 1970 – 28 February 1974
Preceded by	Kenneth Baker
Succeeded by	Sir George Young, Bt
Personal details
Born	8 October 1930 Hammersmith, United Kingdom
Political party	Labour
Alma mater	St Catharine's College, Cambridge

Nigel John Spearing (born 8 October 1930, in Hammersmith, London) is a British Labour Party politician.

Nigel Spearing was born in London, and educated at Latymer Upper School, Hammersmith, and St Catharine's College, Cambridge. After graduating in 1956, he worked as a tutor and teacher, firstly at Wandsworth School (1956–68) and then at Elliot School, Putney (1969–70). After coming second in Warwick and Leamington in 1964, Spearing was elected as the Labour Member of Parliament for Acton at the 1970 general election. At the February 1974 general election, he was defeated in his bid for re-election by the Conservative Party candidate George Young by 1,300 votes.

Spearing then returned to parliament a few weeks later after winning the Newham South by-election (caused by the constituency's MP, Elwyn Jones, being made a life peer in order to take on the role of Lord Chancellor) with a majority of 9,321. This was the only by-election held in the February–October 1974 Parliament. Spearing was then re-elected at the October 1974 general election, and held the Newham South seat until 1997, when he was deselected in favour of Jim Fitzpatrick.

Spearing was opposed to British membership of the European Economic Community.^[1]

References

1. http://www.margaretthatcher.org/speeches/displaydocument.asp?docid=104908

Sources

• Times Guide to the House of Commons, 1992 and 1997 editions.

Personal Papers

Spearing's personal papers are held in the Archives of the Institute of Education.