BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS
Born
19 September 1934 in Baildon, Yorkshire, son of a rayon dyer, educated
Woodbottom Council School and Bingley Grammar School. Then Manchester
University (French and History, BA and MA) and Oxford University (DPhil).
Jobs Lecturer and Senior Lecturer in Universities of Otago and Canterbury
New Zealand, Official Fellow Nuffield College Oxford, Journalist Yorkshire
Television and BBC 24 Hours. Elected MP for Grimsby 1977, Opposition
Whip, Shadow Spokesperson on Trade and Industry (until fired by Neil
Kinnock, a mistake which led to Kinnock`s own rejection as Leader),
Member of the Select Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries, Chair All
Party Fisheries Group, All Party Media Group, All Party Photography
Group, All Party Advertising Group.
Labour Candidate for Grimsby 2001.
His children, Jonathan and Hannah, grew up in Grimsby attending Lisle Marsden and Hereford Schools. His wife, Linda, is a broadcaster, writer and TV producer.
Austin has written more unread books than any other Parliamentarian, most notable are The Half Gallon Quarter Acre Pavlova Paradise (banned in New Zealand), New Zealand Politics Inaction (ditto), Yorkshire Jokes (banned in Grimsby), Teach Thissen Tyke (ditto), 1945: Britain`s Revolution and Last Time (1964 Election) (banned in New Labour), Farewell My Lords (banned in the Lords).