Education
Manchester-born, Atkinson was educated at technical school and became a design engineer at Manchester University.
Manchester-born, Atkinson was educated at technical school and became a design engineer at Manchester University.
Atkinson served as a councillor on Manchester City Council 1945-1949. He contested Manchester Wythenshawe in 1955 and Altrincham and Sale in 1959, before being elected for Tottenham in the 1964 general election. As treasurer, he clashed with Chancellor Denis Healey at the 1976 Labour Party Conference.
He did not contest the 1987 general election, having been deselected by his constituency party (subsequent to boundary changes in 1983 which added roughly half of the old Wood Green constituency) in favour of Bernie Grant.
Post politics Atkinson authored a book on Sir Joseph Whitworth (The World’s Best Mechanician, 1996) and a play (Old Merrypebbles).
A member of Labour"s National Executive Committee for five years, Atkinson also served as the party"s national treasurer from 1976 to 1981. He was a founding member of the Socialist Campaign Group.
43rd United Kingdom Parliament. 44th United Kingdom Parliament. 45th United Kingdom Parliament.
46th United Kingdom Parliament.
47th United Kingdom Parliament. 48th United Kingdom Parliament.
49th United Kingdom Parliament.