Jamie Charles Cann was a British Labour Party politician, who was the Leader of Ipswich Borough Council from 1979 to 1991, before becoming the Member of Parliament for Ipswich in 1992, a seat he held until his death in 2001.
Background
He was educated at Barton-upon-Humber Grammar School and Kesteven College of Education. He then became a primary school teacher, serving as deputy headmaster of Handford Hall Primary School in Ipswich from 1981 to 1992.
He married Rosemary Lovitt in 1970. They had two sons.
Education
Barton on Humber Grammar School. Kesteven College, of Education, teaching diploma. Spoken languages: some French.
Career
Cann voted against equalising the age of consent for same-sex relations. In 1998 he was fined £1,000, and disqualified from driving for 18 months for drink-driving. Renowned as an Member of Parliament with acerbic wit, he spent most of his time campaigning in the constituency.
As leader of Ipswich Borough Council, he was noted as a reformer and helped make Ipswich a model local authority.
Many local campaigns were fronted by Cann including the successful Whitefriars development, saving the Wolsey Theatre and town centre supermarket whilst keeping Ipswich as one of the best providers and maintainers of local authority housing in Britain. He died in office in October 2001, of liver disease, after a spell in hospital in Cambridge.
A retirement home on the Ravenswood development in Ipswich was named after him following his death, in his honour.
Achievements
Religion
Church of England
Membership
51st United Kingdom Parliament. 52nd United Kingdom Parliament. 53rd United Kingdom Parliament.