Parliament
He was selected to contest Stockton North at the 1983 general election, securing the nomination following the defection of the sitting Labour MP Bill Rodgers who was one of the original gang of four who set up the Social Democratic Party in 1981. Cook won the seat with a majority of 1,870 with Rodgers finishing in third place behind the Conservative candidate.
He served as Opposition whip under Neil Kinnock from 1987 to 1992. He was a member of the Speaker's Panel of Chairmen in the 2005–10 parliament. He was a lead campaigner for gun control following the Dunblane massacre in 1996, and it was reported that he once asked the Tory MP Andrew Mackay to "step outside for a fight".
In the 2005 political year, the Public Whip found Cook to be the 38th most rebellious MP (out of 635) and he had recently become known for his dissent concerning the controversial ID Cards and Racial and Religious Hatred Bill. He had the large former ICI site at Billingham in his constituency and was a supporter of Hartlepool FC.
Read more about this topic: Frank Cook
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