Austin Vernon Mitchell was born in September 1934 and educated at Bingley Grammar School, the University of Manchester and Nuffield College, Oxford, from which he obtained a doctorate in 1964. He was a lecturer in history at Otago University, Dunedin, New Zealand, 1959-63, Senior Lecturer in Politics at Canterbury University, Christchurch, New Zealand, 1963-67, and Official Fellow of Nuffield College, Oxford, 1967-69. He was a journalist with Yorkshire Television, 1969-71 and 1973, and with the BBC in 1972. He is the author of numerous books, including 'Politics and people in New Zealand' (1970), 'Four years in the death of the Labour Party' (1983) and 'Britain beyond the blue horizon' (1989). He was elected as Labour MP for Grimsby in 1977 (Great Grimsby from 1983) and has held the seat ever since. He has served as Personal Private Secretary to J D Fraser, Minister of State for Prices and Consumer Protection, 1977-79, Opposition Whip, member of the Civil Service Select Committee and Front Bench Spokesperson on Trade and Industry. He currently sits on the Agriculture Select Committee. He presented 'Target' with Norman Tebbit on Sky Television from 1989 to 1998
From the guide to the Papers of Austin Mitchell MP, 1954-2002, (Hull University Archives)
