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John Watkinson

1941 – 2004

British politician

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About John Watkinson

Lived 1941 – 2004 (aged 63). John Watkinson was a British politician.

John Taylor Watkinson (25 January 1941 – 21 September 2004) was a British Labour Party politician, barrister and teacher.

He was educated at Bristol Grammar School before reading PPE at Worcester College, Oxford. From graduation until 1971 he was a schoolmaster at Rugby, and thereafter was called to the bar, where he practised on the Midland Circuit.

Watkinson was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Gloucestershire West in the October 1974 general election, but lost the seat in 1979 to the Conservative Paul Marland.

Watkinson was on the moderate 'right' wing of the Labour Party, but was relatively unusual for a member of that tendency in voting for Britain's withdrawal from the European Economic Community (EEC) during the referendum on membership in 1975. He defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in October 1981, and contested Gloucestershire West under his new colours in 1983 and 1987.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
Bristol Grammar School
Positions held
Member of the 47th Parliament of the United Kingdom, Substitute member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Representative of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
Also known as
John Taylor Watkinson

People in John Watkinson's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped John Watkinson's

Frequently asked questions

Who was John Watkinson?

British politician (1941-2004)

When was John Watkinson born?

John Watkinson was born on 25 January 1941.

When did John Watkinson die?

John Watkinson died on 21 September 2004.

What was John Watkinson's occupation?

John Watkinson was a politician.

What nationality was John Watkinson?

John Watkinson was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: John Watkinson

· Wikidata: Q6263198

· DBpedia: John Watkinson

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Watkinson. https://biography.guide/john-watkinson/

MLA: "John Watkinson." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-watkinson/.

Chicago: "John Watkinson." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-watkinson/.

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