Career
Tappin started lecturing at Keele University in 1974. He also worked in the field of politics across the world, being on the campaign team of US Senators. His particular specialization was in American politics.
Tappin was nominated as the Labour Party candidate in the 1994 European Parliamentary Elections for the seat of Staffordshire West and Congleton. He won the seat, defeating Conservative Party candidate Anthony Brown. The other two candidates for the seat represented Liberal Democrats, Green and Natural Law parties. Unusually, all parties claimed to be the 'opposition' in the seat - Labour and Lib Dems because of boundary changes, Conservatives because they were in a minority in the European Parliament. Mr Tappin was supported in his campaign by a talented team of young Labour members. The 'inner core' of this team, as one local councillor put it, made the John F. Kennedy campaign look like aged amateurs. He was given a five year leave of absence from his duties at Keele University, as his important work in the EU saw him work on budget issues. Tappin lost his seat under the new list system in 1999.
Tappin continued his involvement in politics and won the Stoke-on-Trent Council seat for Blurton. In 2007, he became Leader of the Labour group on the Stoke-on-Trent City Council. One major decision under his watch was the sale of the Council's stake in the Britannia Stadium to Stoke City F.C. for £4.5 million. However in the May 2008 local elections he lost his seat.
He retired from his post at Keele University in 2010, after 36 years at the institution.
Read more about this topic: Michael Tappin
Famous quotes containing the word career:
“It is a great many years since at the outset of my career I had to think seriously what life had to offer that was worth having. I came to the conclusion that the chief good for me was freedom to learn, think, and say what I pleased, when I pleased. I have acted on that conviction... and though strongly, and perhaps wisely, warned that I should probably come to grief, I am entirely satisfied with the results of the line of action I have adopted.”
—Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–95)
“I restore myself when I’m alone. A career is born in public—talent in privacy.”
—Marilyn Monroe (1926–1962)
“John Brown’s career for the last six weeks of his life was meteor-like, flashing through the darkness in which we live. I know of nothing so miraculous in our history.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)