retired psychiatric nurse
Ian was born in Oxford, and lived in the south of England until the age of 10, when he moved back to his parents’ home town of South Shields, where he has lived ever since. He studied sociology at Newcastle Polytechnic. On graduating, he worked as a labourer, bartender, also doing survey work, retail management, and archaeological excavation. Eventually, he decided to train as a psychiatric nurse. He worked in the NHS for 23 years, and the private sector for 7 years. He loves history and art, having read more social theory than is probably good for him. His interest in politics has waxed and waned, but has dramatically increased since the referendum. Married for 37 years, he has two sons aged 24 and 30, and grandchildren aged 5, 7 and 9. He boxed and did karate in his youth, later doing distance running, He exercises daily. The things he holds dear are family, fitness, education, democracy, and fee speech.