Syd Rapson
Encyclopedia
Syd Rapson, a politician in the United Kingdom, was born on 17 April 1942 in the Isle of Wight
and moved to the Paulsgrove
area of Portsmouth
as a young child. After leaving school he worked in the aeronautical industry for nearly forty years until becoming Labour
Member of Parliament (MP) for Portsmouth North from 1997 until he stood down at the 2005 general election
. A former long serving councillor
, he was succeeded by Sarah McCarthy-Fry
MP. he has two kids Sydna Rapson and John Rapson and also has four grand children Trinity Taylor,Heidi Taylor,Mia Rapson , Finley Rapson
He had stronger trade union credentials than many of the 1997 intake, having spent many years as an Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union
activist and convener, which also gave him the strong interest in defence
, the hallmark of his parliamentary career.
He joined the Commons Defence Select Committee after the 2001 election
. He generally had a very low profile around Parliament; he rarely contributed to debates and sat for four years on the low-key Accommodation and Works Committee.
Rapson appeared in the controversial TV show Brass Eye
, in which he was duped into presenting a segment on "trust-me trousers", supposedly worn by paedophiles and inflated to hide an erection. Rapson was also recorded claiming online paedophiles were using an area of Internet the size of Ireland.
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
and moved to the Paulsgrove
Paulsgrove
Paulsgrove is an area of northern Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. Paulsgrove existed as a small hamlet on the old Portsmouth to Southampton road for many years. During the early twentieth century Paulsgrove Racecourse was built north of the village on the slopes of Portsdown Hill and a halt built...
area of Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
as a young child. After leaving school he worked in the aeronautical industry for nearly forty years until becoming 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...
Member of Parliament (MP) for Portsmouth North from 1997 until he stood down 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....
. A former long serving councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
, he was succeeded by Sarah McCarthy-Fry
Sarah McCarthy-Fry
Sarah McCarthy-Fry is a British Labour Co-operative politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Portsmouth North from 2005 to 2010. McCarthy-Fry was the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury in the last Labour government.-Early life:...
MP. he has two kids Sydna Rapson and John Rapson and also has four grand children Trinity Taylor,Heidi Taylor,Mia Rapson , Finley Rapson
He had stronger trade union credentials than many of the 1997 intake, having spent many years as an Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union
Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union
The Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union was a British trade union. It merged with the MSF to form Amicus in 2001.The history of the union can be traced back to the formation of the "Old Mechanics" of 1826, which grew into the Amalgamated Society of Engineers in 1851...
activist and convener, which also gave him the strong interest in defence
Defense (military)
Defense has several uses in the sphere of military application.Personal defense implies measures taken by individual soldiers in protecting themselves whether by use of protective materials such as armor, or field construction of trenches or a bunker, or by using weapons that prevent the enemy...
, the hallmark of his parliamentary career.
He joined the Commons Defence Select Committee after the 2001 election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
. He generally had a very low profile around Parliament; he rarely contributed to debates and sat for four years on the low-key Accommodation and Works Committee.
Rapson appeared in the controversial TV show Brass Eye
Brass Eye
Brass Eye is a UK television series of satirical spoof documentaries. A series of six aired on Channel 4 in 1997, and a further episode in 2001....
, in which he was duped into presenting a segment on "trust-me trousers", supposedly worn by paedophiles and inflated to hide an erection. Rapson was also recorded claiming online paedophiles were using an area of Internet the size of Ireland.