John Burton (political agent)
Encyclopedia
John Burton was a Labour Party
councillor in County Durham
, England
. He was a member of Sedgefield Borough Council
, representing the ward of Fishburn
and Old Trimdon
. However, he is most notable for being the constituency agent
of former British Prime Minister
Tony Blair
, who represented the Sedgefield constituency
from 1983 until standing down as Prime Minister in 2007.
, which included Burton's home of Trimdon
, the local Labour Party found themselves needing to appoint a candidate for the forthcoming election at short notice. Blair, then a London
-based barrister
, identified Burton as a branch secretary willing to consider his candidature and travelled to Trimdon (Burton's power base) to put his case. Blair secured the nomination, was elected an MP
and began his political rise. Burton has remained one of Blair's inner circle. In the Sedgefield Council Register of Members' Interests Burton also lists himself as Political Assistant to Rt. Hon. Tony Blair, MP Myrobella House, Farfield Terrace, Trimdon Station, Co. Durham, TS29 6DU.
The Sunday newspaper The Observer
reported in December 2007 that Burton plans to write a book about Tony Blair.
, a church warden, and a governor of Trimdon College. He was formerly a physical education
teacher. He is, unlike the Newcastle
-supporting Blair, a devoted fan of Sunderland A.F.C.
.
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...
councillor in County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He was a member of Sedgefield Borough Council
Sedgefield (borough)
Sedgefield was, from 1974 to 2009, a local government district and borough in County Durham, in North East England. It had a population of about 87,000 . It was named after Sedgefield; but its largest town was Newton Aycliffe...
, representing the ward of Fishburn
Fishburn
Fishburn is a village and civil parish in County Durham, in England. It is situated a few miles to the west of Hartlepool. It has a population of 2,454.-Location:...
and Old Trimdon
Trimdon
Trimdon is a village in County Durham, in England. It is situated 9 miles west of Hartlepool. It is a former mining village which is adjacent to Trimdon Colliery, Trimdon Grange, Deaf Hill and Trimdon Station...
. However, he is most notable for being the constituency agent
Election agent
In elections in the United Kingdom, as well as in certain other similar political systems such as India's, an election agent is the person legally responsible for the conduct of a candidate's political campaign and to whom election material is sent to by those running the election. In elections in...
of former British Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
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...
, who represented the Sedgefield constituency
Sedgefield (UK Parliament constituency)
Sedgefield is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
from 1983 until standing down as Prime Minister in 2007.
Relationship with Tony Blair
Burton was one of the first to spot the potential of the young Tony Blair. When the new Sedgefield consitituency was created for the 1983 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1983
The 1983 United Kingdom general election was held on 9 June 1983. It gave the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945...
, which included Burton's home of Trimdon
Trimdon
Trimdon is a village in County Durham, in England. It is situated 9 miles west of Hartlepool. It is a former mining village which is adjacent to Trimdon Colliery, Trimdon Grange, Deaf Hill and Trimdon Station...
, the local Labour Party found themselves needing to appoint a candidate for the forthcoming election at short notice. Blair, then a London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
-based barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
, identified Burton as a branch secretary willing to consider his candidature and travelled to Trimdon (Burton's power base) to put his case. Blair secured the nomination, was elected an MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
and began his political rise. Burton has remained one of Blair's inner circle. In the Sedgefield Council Register of Members' Interests Burton also lists himself as Political Assistant to Rt. Hon. Tony Blair, MP Myrobella House, Farfield Terrace, Trimdon Station, Co. Durham, TS29 6DU.
The Sunday newspaper The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
reported in December 2007 that Burton plans to write a book about Tony Blair.
Personal life
According to Sedgefield Council's Register of Members' Interests, Burton is a member of the Transport and General Workers' UnionTransport and General Workers' Union
The Transport and General Workers' Union, also known as the TGWU and the T&G, was one of the largest general trade unions in the United Kingdom and Ireland - where it was known as the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union - with 900,000 members...
, a church warden, and a governor of Trimdon College. He was formerly a physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
teacher. He is, unlike the Newcastle
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
-supporting Blair, a devoted fan of Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
.