Jack Thompson

John Thompson DL (27 August 1928 – 21 July 2011), known as Jack Thompson, was a British Labour Party politician - the Member of Parliament for Wansbeck from 1983 to 1997. Thompson had a lasting achievement to thwart a plan for a nuclear power station on the long and sandy Druridge Bay, east of Widdrington in the county, one of the leading beaches of Northumberland. Early life Jack Thompson was the son of a clerk. After leaving Bothal School he worked at a local coal mine, completing his education at Ashington Mining College. He became an electrical engineer, and shift charge engineer at Ellington Colliery. Local politics Thompson was an undemonstrative leftwinger, described by one of the Conservative candidates he defeated as an "absolute gentleman" and became a party whip for seven years. He joined the Labour Party in 1960, and from 1965 was secretary/agent in his constituency. He was elected to Newbiggin council in 1970, and Wansbeck Council which incorporated it in 1974; the same year he became a county councillor. In 1978 he was elected leader of Northumberland County Council Labour group, and when the party took control in 1981 he became council leader, implementing many changes and increasing its effectiveness.