Austin Mitchell, MP for Great Grimsby, is a former politics lecturer who has been described by journalists as a "brilliant, witty but erratic small-screen Yorkshire Don Quixote and incurable iconoclast".
Addressing the annual dinner of the Political Studies Association last week, he reminded delegates of the old adage that good-looking political science students go into politics while the ugly ones teach it. He has been a member of the Labour Party since 1956 (he describes himself as "heritage Labour") and said: "I should have joined the SDP, then I could have ended up as an adviser in Downing Street - or vice-chancellor of Essex University." Ivor Crewe, the vice-chancellor in question, has so far refrained from retaliation.
Register to continue
Why register?
- Registration is free and only takes a moment
- Once registered, you can read 3 articles a month
- Sign up for our newsletter
Subscribe
Or subscribe for unlimited access to:
- Unlimited access to news, views, insights & reviews
- Digital editions
- Digital access to THE’s university and college rankings analysis
Already registered or a current subscriber? Login