Career
Simpson was Shotts, Lanarkshire, Scotland and educated at Dykehead public school. He started work at the age of fourteen as a coal miner. He studied commercial subjects and was employed by Northern Districts Miners" Federation as its assistant secretary in 1927.
He was secretary of the federation from 1940 to 1950.
Simpson was elected as the Australian Labor Party for the member for Lake Macquarie in 1950 and was re-elected in the seat until his death. he was Minister Without Portfolio from March 1956 to November 1957 and then Minister for Mines until May 1965 when the Renshaw government was defeated. He died in Sydney.