Nigel Spearing has died at the age of 86

Tributes have been paid to a former Acton MP who has died at the age of 86.

Labour's Nigel Spearing took the Acton parliamentary seat from Conservative Kenneth Baker in the 1970 General Election but lost it four years later to George Younger.

The Acton Parliamentary constituency came into existence in 1918 and became a municipal borough in 1921. In 1965 the area became part of the London Bororough of Ealing and it was 1974 when the constituencies were redistributed it officially became part of Ealing.

Mr Spearing wasn't out of Parliament long becaming Newham South MP after a by-election was triggered when the sitting Labour MP, Elwyn Jones, was appointed as Lord Chancellor. He held the seat until it was abolished in 1997.

Born in Hammersmith he graduated from Cambridge in 1956 and went on to teach in schools in Wandsworth and Putney. He came from a well-known political family in Hammersmith – his father was Hammersmith Mayor who opened the Savoy Cinema in East Acton in the 1930s.

Philip Portwood, Chair of the East Acton Labour Party, said, '' He was the first MP that I ever met (as a child) and he is well remembered by longer term Acton residents who met him, as an unfailingly nice and hardworking caseworker and campaigner. He was famous for cycling around Acton.'''

Jane Collisson, former Acton CLP member, said: “It was very sad to hear of Nigel’s death - He was the MP for Acton in the 1970s, when I worked in local Labour Party’s office, and knew first hand how dedicated and conscientious he was, particularly in regard to taking up constituents’ problems.

“Always pleasant and courteous, he was greatly respected for his integrity.”

The current MP for the area, Ealing Central and Acton Labour member, Rupa Huq, tweeted:
'' Sad to hear of death original cycling MP for old Acton seat Nigel Spearing (1970-1974)

17th January 2017