United Kingdom
(1935 – 2012)

This is an online tribute dedicated to Francis Cook. Frank Cook was a British Independent politician, who was the Labour Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Stockton North from 1983 [...]

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A memorial dedicated to the memory of Frank Cook
This is an online tribute dedicated to Francis Cook. Frank Cook was a British Independent politician, who was the Labour Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Stockton North from 1983 until 2010.

Frank Cook was born in Hartlepool and was educated at the Corby School (Sunderland), the De la Salle College (Manchester) and the Institute of Education (Leeds). Before his election to the Commons, Frank Cook worked variously as a gravedigger, a Butlins Redcoat, a transport manager at a steelworks, a teacher, and a construction planning engineer.

He was selected to contest Stockton North at the 1983 General Election, securing the nomination following the defection of the sitting Labour MP Bill Rodgers who was one of the original gang of four who set up the Social Democratic Party in 1981. Frank Cook won the seat with a majority of 1,870 with Rodgers finishing in third place behind the Conservative candidate.

He served as Opposition whip under Neil Kinnock from 1987 to 1992. He was a member of the Speaker's Panel of Chairmen in the 2005-10 parliament. He was a lead campaigner for gun control following the Dunblane massacre in 1996, and it was reported that he once asked the Tory MP Andrew Mackay to "step outside for a fight".

In the 2005 political year, the Public Whip found Frank Cook to be the 38th most rebellious MP (out of 635) and he had recently become known for his dissent concerning the controversial ID Cards and Racial and Religious Hatred Bill. He had the large former ICI site at Billingham in his constituency and was a supporter of Hartlepool FC.

In January 2008, Frank Cook (a member of the Socialist Campaign Group) was de-selected by his local constituency Labour Party when choosing its candidate for the next general election in favour of Alex Cunningham. In April 2010 he announced that he would stand as an independent in the general election. In the 2010 general election, he stood as an independent, coming in fifth behind Cunningham (Labour 16,923; 42.8%), Ian Galletley (Conservative 10,247; 25.9%), Philip Latham (Liberal Democrat 6,342; 16.1%), and James MacPherson (British National Party 1,724; 4.4%). Frank Cook received 1,577 votes, 4.0%, and lost his deposit.

Frank Cook died on the 11th January 2012. This is an online memorial in his memory.
 
 
 
 
 
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