Bob Clay
Encyclopedia
Robert Alan Clay known as Bob Clay, is a left-wing politician
, formerly Labour
MP, in the United Kingdom
.
Robert Clay was educated at Bedford School
and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
. Unusually for a man of his background, Clay went on to become a bus driver, working for Tyne and Wear PTE from 1975 to 1983. Clay first joined Labour as a teenager, but left to join the Trotskyist group International Socialists
. He became a union shop steward in the 1980s and rejoined Labour.
Clay was first elected to Parliament in 1983 for the Sunderland North constituency, replacing Labour MP Frederick Willey
, was re-elected in 1987, but stood down at the 1992 general election
, where Labour MP William Etherington was elected in his place.
Clay opposed the 2003 Iraq War. He backed the left-wing party RESPECT The Unity Coalition
in the 2004 European Elections
. At the 2005 General Election
, he acted as agent for Reg Keys
, who stood against the Prime Minister Tony Blair
in Blair's Sedgefield constituency on an anti-war ticket. Keys' son Tom had been killed in action in Iraq. Although Clay was not an originator of Keys' campaign he used his position as agent to control all aspects of the campaign. He persuaded Derek Cattell, a former trade union officer and an executive member of Blair's Sedgefield Labour Party to join the campaign. Cattell's resignation from Labour during the election campaign, produced much publicity for the Keys campaign. Clay worked tirelessly for the Keys campaign helping build a coalition of support for Keys. Supporters included the former MP Martin Bell
who in his book, The Truth that Sticks (2007) wrote "Of great value was Derek Cattell, formerly on the executive of Sedgefield Labour Party. He defected to Reg's campaign after some heart searching; it cost him some fair weather friends, but the candidate had no loyal supporter from start to finish." (page 103)
Clay now lives in the Marches
city of Hereford
and remains politically active as a volunteer official in the local Labour Party. He has involved himself in a number of local causes including a group opposed to the building of a by-pass which would disturb ancient archealogical remains known as The Dinedor
Serpent.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, formerly Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
MP, in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Robert Clay was educated at Bedford School
Bedford School
Bedford School is not to be confused with Bedford Modern School or Bedford High School or Old Bedford School in Bedford, TexasBedford School is an HMC independent school for boys located in the town of Bedford, England, United Kingdom...
and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Gonville and Caius College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college is often referred to simply as "Caius" , after its second founder, John Keys, who fashionably latinised the spelling of his name after studying in Italy.- Outline :Gonville and...
. Unusually for a man of his background, Clay went on to become a bus driver, working for Tyne and Wear PTE from 1975 to 1983. Clay first joined Labour as a teenager, but left to join the Trotskyist group International Socialists
Socialist Workers Party (Britain)
The Socialist Workers Party is a far left party in Britain founded by Tony Cliff. The SWP's student section has groups at a number of universities...
. He became a union shop steward in the 1980s and rejoined Labour.
Clay was first elected to Parliament in 1983 for the Sunderland North constituency, replacing Labour MP Frederick Willey
Frederick Willey
Frederick Thomas Willey was a British Labour politician.Willey was educated at Johnston School and St. John's College, Cambridge, and was called to the Bar in 1936...
, was re-elected in 1987, but stood down at the 1992 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
, where Labour MP William Etherington was elected in his place.
Clay opposed the 2003 Iraq War. He backed the left-wing party RESPECT The Unity Coalition
RESPECT The Unity Coalition
Respect is a socialist political party in England and Wales founded in 2004. Its name is a contrived acronym standing for Respect, Equality, Socialism, Peace, Environmentalism, Community and Trade Unionism.-Policies:...
in the 2004 European Elections
European Parliament election, 2004
Elections to the European Parliament were held from 10 June 2004 to 13 June 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according to local custom...
. At the 2005 General Election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
, he acted as agent for Reg Keys
Reg Keys
Reginald Thomas Keys, better known as Reg Keys , is the father of a British serviceman killed in the Iraq War. He stood in the 2005 General Election as an anti-war independent candidate for MP of Sedgefield, a constituency held by the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair.- Biography :Keys is a founder...
, who stood against the Prime Minister Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
in Blair's Sedgefield constituency on an anti-war ticket. Keys' son Tom had been killed in action in Iraq. Although Clay was not an originator of Keys' campaign he used his position as agent to control all aspects of the campaign. He persuaded Derek Cattell, a former trade union officer and an executive member of Blair's Sedgefield Labour Party to join the campaign. Cattell's resignation from Labour during the election campaign, produced much publicity for the Keys campaign. Clay worked tirelessly for the Keys campaign helping build a coalition of support for Keys. Supporters included the former MP Martin Bell
Martin Bell
Martin Bell, OBE, is a British UNICEF Ambassador, a former broadcast war reporter and former independent politician...
who in his book, The Truth that Sticks (2007) wrote "Of great value was Derek Cattell, formerly on the executive of Sedgefield Labour Party. He defected to Reg's campaign after some heart searching; it cost him some fair weather friends, but the candidate had no loyal supporter from start to finish." (page 103)
Clay now lives in the Marches
Welsh Marches
The Welsh Marches is a term which, in modern usage, denotes an imprecisely defined area along and around the border between England and Wales in the United Kingdom. The precise meaning of the term has varied at different periods...
city of Hereford
Hereford
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
and remains politically active as a volunteer official in the local Labour Party. He has involved himself in a number of local causes including a group opposed to the building of a by-pass which would disturb ancient archealogical remains known as The Dinedor
Dinedor
Dinedor is a hill, village and civil parish in Herefordshire, England, south east of Hereford. The hilltop is the site of an Iron Age fort.-External links:*...
Serpent.