Syd Bidwell

Sydney James Bidwell (14 January 1917 – 25 May 1997) was a British Labour politician.

Bidwell was a railway worker on the Great Western Railway and became a tutor and organiser for the National Council of Labour Colleges who went on to become London Regional Education Officer for the [Trades Union Congress|TUC] . He was a councillor on Southall Borough Council 1951-55.

Bidwell contested East Hertfordshire in 1959 and South West Hertfordshire in 1964. He was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for Southall at the 1966 general election, and was elected for Ealing Southall in 1983.

Whilst in parliament, he saw through a bill to exclude Sikhs from being forced to wear crash helmets on motorbikes.

Before the 1992 general election, Bidwell was de-selected as a candidate at the age of 75. When his appeal to the Labour National Executive Committee failed, he decided to stand as a "True Labour" candidate, but finished third behind the official Labour candidate Piara Khabra, with 9% of the vote.

References

* [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19970528/ai_n14112116 Obituary in 'The Independent']
* [http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/members/mr-sydney-bidwell Sydney Bidwell's parliamentary record: from 'Hansard]
*"Whitaker's Almanack" 1998
*rayment