John Tomlinson, Baron Tomlinson

Who is John Tomlinson, Baron Tomlinson?

John Edward Tomlinson, Baron Tomlinson, is a British Labour Co-operative politician. He is currently a life peer in the House of Lords, and was previously a Member of Parliament from 1974 to 1979, and an Member of the European Parliament from 1984 to 1999.

Born in London, Tomlinson was educated at Westminster City School and the Co-operative College in Loughborough. He later studied health services management at Brunel University, and in 1982 he was awarded an MA in industrial relations from the University of Warwick.

Tomlinson was active in Yorkshire politics, secretary of Sheffield Co-operative Party and an executive member of Yorkshire Labour Party. He was the youngest councillor on Sheffield City Council from 1964. He worked as head of research for the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers 1968-70.

Tomlinson stood for Parliament without success in 1966 at Bridlington and was elected to the House of Commons as Labour Member of Parliament for Meriden in the February 1974 general election, defeating the sitting Conservative MP Keith Speed. He lost his seat in the 1979 general election to the Conservative candidate, Iain Mills.