John Austin is no longer a Member of Parliament. This page has not been updated since 2015.
Biography:
John Austin stood down as MP for Erith and Thamesmead in May 2010.
He attended the Glyn Grammar School for Boys (now called Glyn Technology School) on The Kingsway in Epsom. Austin gained a Certificate in Community and Youth Work from the Goldsmith’s College in 1972 and a MA in Policy Studies from the University of Bristol in 1990. He worked as a medical laboratory technician from 1961-3, a Labour party organiser from 1963-70, a social worker in Bexley from 1972-4 before becoming Director of Bexley Council for Racial Equality until 1992.
Austin became a councillor for the London Borough of Greenwich in 1970, and was leader of the council from 1982 to 1987, when he became mayor for two years. He stepped down as a councillor in 1994.
Austin stood for the seat of Woolwich at the 1992 general election, and successfully won it from independent John Cartwright with a majority of 2,225.[1] The constituency boundaries for the area were re-drawn for 1997 general election, and Austin won the new seat of Erith and Thamesmead with a majority of 17,424.
Austin served as a member of the Health Select Committee from 1994 until 2005.
Constituency: Erith and Thamesmead
Date of Birth: 21 August 1944
Party: Labour
Personal Website: http://www.labour.org.uk/
