Michael Carr

Michael Carr (born 31 January 1946) is a British teacher, lecturer, and politician for the Liberal Democrats. Originally a teacher, Carr became active in politics as a Conservative councillor before joining the Social Democratic Party. After two unsuccessful general election candidacies, Carr won a sensational by-election victory in 1991 to become the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ribble Valley. His victory was short-lived as he lost the seat in the general election that followed a year later, and he twice failed to regain it. Early life Carr was born in Preston, and grew up in the Ribble Valley village of Sabden. He was educated at St Josephs College, Blackpool, and Preston Catholic College. After a year as an engineering apprentice, Carr became a local government administrative officer in 1964. He left this job four years later to work as a partner in the family newsagents. Career In 1970, Carr decided on a change of career and embarked on a course at the Margaret McMillan Memorial College of Education in Bradford from where he obtained a Certificate in Education. Later he obtained a Diploma in Special Educational Needs at the Bradford and Ilkley Community College. His first teaching jobs were as a geography teacher at Brookside secondary school and Stainsby School in Middlesbrough, and in 1975 he was appointed head of geography at St Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic High School in Darwen, Lancashire. He moved in 1982 to be head of general studies at Blackthorn County Secondary School in Bacup where he remained for five years. He joined the Lancashire County Council School Support Team dealing with disruptive behaviour in 1988. Carr joined the National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers in 1975, and served as Rossendale district NAS/UWT secretary from 1984 to 1987. He was press officer for the Lancashire federation of the NAS/UWT from 1984 to 1987 and from 1988 to 1990.