Parliamentary Career
Burgon was the Election Agent for the Labour Party in Elmet in 1983 before being selected himself as the Labour candidate for Elemet. Burgon unsuccessfully contested Elmet in 1987 and 1992, losing both times to the incumbent Conservative Spencer Batiste. In 1997, Burgon contested Elmet for a third consecutive time, this time defeating Batiste with an 8,779 majority.
He was elected to sit on the Northern Ireland Select Committee in 2000, and the Home Affairs Select Committee in 2005. Burgon has also taken interest in socialism in South America, particularly in Venezuela. In May 2007, he wrote in The Guardian in support of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and his government's controversial refusal to renew the broadcasting license of a television station that had been critical of Chávez. Burgon is the current Chairman of Labour Friends of Venezuela. He is on the left of the Labour Party and has vociferously criticised what he calls the "neo-liberal" policies of the party leadership. Burgon stood down from Parliament in 2010.
Read more about this topic: Colin Burgon
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