Ramblings of a by-election winner.
Michael is the winner of the 1991 Ribble Valley by-election, in which he overturned a Conservative majority of 19,500 to take the seat for the Liberal Democrats with a majority of 4,601. His victory is credited with finally persuading Michael Heseltine to ditch the poll tax. It was a short-lived sojourn in Parliament, as Michael lost the seat at the 1992 general election to his Conservative by-election opponent, Nigel Evans, who has held the seat since. He describes himself as “an official political has-been” and returned to the world of education after losing his seat, spending the years until his retirement working with children with behavioural difficulties; something his time in the House of Commons was a useful preparation for! Don’t expect too much serious politics! The by-election experience and the following year in Parliament provided much anecdotal material. I hope you enjoy the talk.