David Stoddart, Baron Stoddart of Swindon

"David Stoddart" redirects here. For the politician in British Columbia, Canada, see David Alexander Stoddart.

Lord Stoddart in 2009.

David Leonard Stoddart, Baron Stoddart of Swindon (born 4 May 1926) is a British independent Labour politician (that is, unaffiliated to the Labour Party).

Political career

Stoddart was a member of the County Borough Council of Reading from 1954-1972^[1] and was the Leader of the Council from 1965-72. He was the Labour Member of Parliament for Swindon from 1970 to 1983, when he lost his seat to the Conservative Simon Coombs. Stoddart was a government whip from 1975 to 1978.

Stoddart was raised to the peerage as a life peer in 1983^[1] as Baron Stoddart of Swindon, of Reading in the Royal County of Berkshire. He was expelled from the Labour benches in the House of Lords in 2002 for backing a Socialist Alliance candidate in the 2001 general election, an action he took because he strongly opposed the parachuting of Shaun Woodward, a defector from the Conservative Party, into a safe Labour seat.^[1]

Stoddart was for many years the Chairman of the Campaign for an Independent Britain, which campaigns for the United Kingdom to end its membership of the European Union,^[2] a position he held until May 2007.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Independent voice of a true democrat". Reading Chronicle. 26 March 2009. http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/roundup/articles/2009/03/26/36601-independent-voice-of-a-true-democrat/. Retrieved 18 May 2010. 
2. ^ "Herron backers to challenge poll decision". The Journal (pay-per-view). 17 September 2004. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-122149659.html?refid=gnews_1108. Retrieved 18 May 2010. 

External links

• Lord Stoddart of Swindon - Parliament profile

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Christopher Ward	Member of Parliament for Swindon 1970–1983	Succeeded by Simon Coombs

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