Education
Armstrong was educated at Wolsingham Grammar School and City of Leeds Teacher Training College, and ultimately became a headmaster.
Armstrong was educated at Wolsingham Grammar School and City of Leeds Teacher Training College, and ultimately became a headmaster.
He served as a councillor on Sunderland Borough Council and chaired its education committee. Armstrong served as a parliamentary private secretary (Parliamentary Private Secretary) from 1965, and a Labour whip, and junior minister for Education and Science (1974–1975) and the Environment (1975–1979). After Labour lost the 1979 general election, he served as a Deputy Speaker.
After his retirement, Armstrong acted as political adviser to the British Broadcasting Corporation"s production of the political drama House of Cards.
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]
Defeated by the Conservative incumbent in Sunderland South in the 1955 and 1959 General Elections, Armstrong was Member of Parliament (Member of Parliament) for North West Durham from 1964 until his retirement in 1987.