Early Life
Austin was brought up in Dudley and attended The Dudley School from 1977 to 1983, before studying at the University of Essex at Colchester from 1983 to 1986. He is one of four children adopted by Fred Austin (born Fredi Stiller), who was head teacher of The Dudley School from 1975 to 1985, and Margaret Austin.
Keen to obtain a National Union of Journalists card, he took a job with Black Country Publishing in Netherton where his personal interest in sport, especially cycling (he is now Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Cycling Group) and football, lead him to work as a journalist on Midland Sport Magazine.
Austin was elected as a councillor in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley in 1991, and served until 1995. He then moved to become press officer for the West Midlands Labour Party until 1998, when he spent a year as Deputy Director of Communications for the Scottish Labour Party.
In 1999 he was appointed a political advisor to the Chancellor of the Exchequer (later Prime Minister), Gordon Brown. He held the position until his election in 2005, and was well known as one of Gordon Brown's closest lieutenants.
Read more about this topic: Ian Austin (politician)
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