Dr Austin Mitchell MA,D.Phil., MP for Great Grimsby (recently Austin Haddock MP)
Vice President Hansard Society
Political commentator, Sky Television's Target programme 1989-98;
Yorkshire Television 1973-77; BBC 24 Hours 1972, Yorkshire Television 1969-71,
Official fellow, Nuffield College, Oxford 1967-69;
Senior lecturer in politics, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, NZ 1963-67;
Lecturer in history, Otago University, Dunedin, New Zealand 1959-63;
Opposition Whip, Shadow Spokesperson on Trade and 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.
Born in Baildon, Yorkshire, son of a rayon dyer, educated Bingley Grammar School, Manchester University (French and History, BA and MA) and Oxford University (DPhil).
Austin has written more unread books than any other Parliamentarian, most notable are
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).
He finds full satisfaction in the traditional role of the backbencher: serving his constituents and Grimsby`s industries - particularly Fishing and development; keeping the executive to account and pursuing his own interests in giving voters and consumers more power, weakening professional monopolies and promoting the Arts and a better life for all.
His successes include abolishing the solicitors` monopoly of conveyancing which reduced the costs of conveyancing; carrying the first motion to televise Parliament, introducing the Bill which led to the removal of lead from paint, getting the Agriculture Committee to carry out a major report on Fishing to set out a plan for development of the industry, and winning (with Dolly Hardie and Humphrey Forrest) first redundancy payments for fishermen and then (along with Shona McIsaac, Alan Johnson, and Joan Humble) compensation for Icelandic trawlermen.