Ronald Campbell (born August 14, 1943) is the Labour member of Parliament for Blyth Valley in north-east England.

[edit] Early life

He grew up in a family of eight brothers and sisters. He attended Blyth Ridley County High School (a secondary modern school, which eventually merged with Tynedale High School in 2000 to become Blyth Community College) on Sixth Avenue in Blyth and left school at 14 to go down the pit. Before entering parliament he was a district councillor on Blyth Valley Borough Council from 1969 and a lay official of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM). He was a miner from 1958-86.

[edit] Parliamentary career

He has been an MP since 1987 when he won his seat by 856 votes, and has often voted against the government on issues such as the Iraq War. After a succession of MPs: Alfred Robens (1950–1960), the deselected but well liked in some quarters Eddie Milne (MP 1960–1974), and the disgraced John Ryman who was perceived as remote, controversial and distant from the community, Campbell has been associated with the regeneration of the former borough of Blyth Valley.

Campbell is noted for accidentally supporting the first National Fetish Day, due to him misunderstanding the meaning of the word "Fetish". Campbell said in an interview, "I thought a fetish was a worry, like worrying about backing the right horse."^[1] When the government nationalised Northern Rock in 2008, Campbell declared it the People's Bank and opened an account.^[2]

In May 2009, during the high-profile MPs expenses scandal, Campbell agreed to give back over £6000 he had claimed for furnishings in his London home.^{[3] [4]}

[edit] Personal life

Campbell has a notable port wine birthmark on his right cheek. Ronnie married Deirdre McHale in 1967, who serves on Northumberland County Council. They have five sons, including a set of twins, and one daughter.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Ronnie Campbell MP
• TheyWorkForYou.com - Ronnie Campbell MP
• The Public Whip - Ronnie Campbell MP voting record
• Meeting his unknown brother in 2006
• BBC Politics

[edit] News items

• Northumberland County Council with £11m in Lehman Brothers in October 2008
• Hairdresser in Cumbria with the same name gets his emails in November 2003
• His son in the Royal Marines in March 2003
• Cleared of assault in May 2002
• Shoplifter given £10,000 trial over 92p tin of spaghetti bolognese in May 2002
• Suspended from the Commons in March 1998