Nigel Spearing

Nigel John Spearing (8 October 1930 – 8 January 2017) was a British Labour Party politician who was the MP for Acton from 1970 to 1974, and for Newham South from 1974 to 1997.

Background Nigel John Spearing was born in Hammersmith, London. His father had been a Liberal parliamentary candidate. Prior to the February 1974 general election, the Acton constituency underwent major boundary changes and he was defeated in his bid for re-election by the Conservative Party candidate George Young by 1,451 votes.

Spearing then returned to parliament a few weeks later after winning the Newham South by-election (caused by the constituency's MP, Elwyn Jones, being made a life peer in order to take on the role of Lord Chancellor) with a majority of 9,321. Although he was interested in many issues, including transport, he devoted much of his time to campaigning against the EEC/EU, not least because he believed that 'many of the most pressing domestic political issues of the day could also be firmly connected with European Union institutions and directives.'

Personal life and death In 1956, Spearing married Wendy Newman, and they had three children.