Just seen he's going to be stepping down - 38 years as the MP for Great Grimsby is arguably going to be a hard act to follow

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/apr/16/labour-mp-austin-mitchell-stand-down

Like him or not it means there should be some significant change locally coming after the next General Election :-/

I have always liked Austin as a person, He will always take time out to speak, he also replied to my email regarding a few concerns of mine at the last election, he occasionaly can be seen at cafe nero in Town having a cuppa. He does seem to have been around forever.  ;D

Good luck to Austin.

Is the town better off for having him for the last 37 years ?
I dont think so and I'm pleased to see the back of him

Great news! but the greedy old illegitimate should of copulated off years ago.

I think all MP'S should be made to retire at 70.

So Austin has lasted a lot longer than he should have done.

Wonder which privately educated posh southern bag carrier Labour will parachute in

Quoted from AdamHaddock

Wonder which privately educated posh southern bag carrier Labour will parachute in

They might put Tim Mickleburgh forward!  :)  ??)

He surprised me but he had an impossible act to follow IMO.

Quoted from Les Brechin

They might put Tim Mickleburgh forward!  :)  ??)

(banned)

Melanie Onn will be the next Labour candidate in Grimsby.

It has been in the offing for a while apparently. Young local mother within the local trade union movement... think her cause has probably been helped by the fact she used to be a 'staffer' for Ed Miliband as well.

http://order-order.com/2014/01/20/miliband-using-unison-to-fix-seat-for-melanie-onnstitch-up-for-austin-mitchell-seat-before-he-even-resigns/

Like him or loathe him, Mitchell was a true character within Parliament and did his best - the past few years aside when his health diminished - to promote the local area in the Commons. He said exactly what he thinks and the Commons will be a duller place without him.

Also - as an aside - expect UKIP to now field a very prominent candidate for the seat. The area has all the makings of an 'upset' for them. Wouldn't be shocked to see Godfrey Bloom run.

Can see UKIP taking this in all sadness. Wasn't his majority only 600 or so?

Glad he is going, may have raised awareness of the area and some of the causes in the past but recently i cant recall him doing much other than abstaining his votes on fairly important issues. He is supposed to represent the people who voted him into office, abstaining on any issue is ducking responsibility as far as i am concerned.

You fookers kept electing him

Having had a lot of dealings with Lincolnshire MPs and politicians through my former job I can only tell you that Austin was head and shoulders above the rest for raising the issues of and supporting constituents...

It's a long while sine I had anything to do with Grimsby politics since moving north of the border in 1991, but I can only re-iterate Barralad's view of him as damn hardworking constituency MP. He also secured his place in Parliamentary history with his bill to allow the television cameras into Westminster. To serve one constituency for 37 years means he's done something right along the way. UKIP may make noises about being able to win a seat like Grimsby but the reality is they're very much a one man band, and when it comes to a General Election and their policies come under intense media scrutiny they'll go the same way as the BNP. European Elections are always a good vehicle for giving mainstream parties a bloody nose.

Quoted from Dan

Can see UKIP taking this in all sadness. Wasn't his majority only 600 or so?

Maybe because of its current TV profile with Skint and Strictly, Grimsby seems to be getting a bit of attention from other quarters

I know there was another recent thread on UKIP here but I couldn't remember where it was - anyway this article I saw this afternoon sits nicely on this thread about the town's current incumbent

http://www.buzzfeed.com/sirajdatoo/the-ukip-surge-could-labour-lose-in-its-northern-heartland

I certainly don't subscribe to Farage's philisophy but there's one quote from a prospective UKIP voter on there that hits the nail right on the head as far as I'm concerned

"It doesn’t make a difference who you vote for. They’re all the same. They want to take money away from poor people and give it to rich people"

Maybe not strictly 100% true but I'd say it strikes a chord with a lot of the electorate and that's why UKIP think they stand a good chance locally. Time will tell but it saddens me to think what might happen......

The sad thing is that people think ex-merchant banker Farage will be different....

I went to school with Mel (Healing) good lass who will try her hardest for benefit of Grimsby people but I do think UKIP will get in!

Quoted from Fcukthescunts

I went to school with Mel (Healing) good lass who will try her hardest for benefit of Grimsby people but I do think UKIP will get in!

They will have to take a lot of votes from the other two parties. My fear is they take more from Labour which lets in the Tories..

He's got a bit doddery and out of touch in the last few years but IMHO he's been a damn good mp.had cause to need his help a few years ago and he was on the case immediately and got the issue sorted in next to no time. Enjoy your retirement Mr mitchell

Just seen him signing copies of his book "Calendar Boy" in Waterstone's. Thought he was looking his age now!