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Bob Russell (British politician)

Sir Bob Russell
Bob Russell MP at Bournemouth.jpg
High Steward of Colchester
Assumed office
30 June 2015
Monarch Elizabeth II
Preceded by Sir Ivor Crewe
Member of Parliament
for Colchester
In office
1 May 1997 – 30 March 2015
Preceded by Constituency created
Succeeded by Will Quince
Majority 6,982 (15.1%)
Personal details
Born (1946-03-31) 31 March 1946 (age 71)
London, England
Nationality British
Political party Liberal Democrat (1988–present)
Other political
affiliations
Labour (1971–1981)
SDP (1981–1988)

Sir Robert Edward Russell (born 31 March 1946) is a former Liberal Democrat politician in the United Kingdom who was the Member of Parliament for Colchester from 1997 to 2015. He was first elected at the United Kingdom general election, 1997 and won subsequent re-election in 2001, 2005 and 2010; he was defeated in United Kingdom general election, 2015 by the Conservative candidate and current Colchester MP Will Quince.

He was knighted in the 2012 New Year Honours for public service. He holds the ceremonial position of High Steward of Colchester.

Prior to his first election to the House of Commons, Russell was a councillor representing New Town ward continuously from 1978 to 2002. He was originally elected as a Labour Party candidate before defecting to the Social Democratic Party in 1981, and stood as a Liberal Democrat candidate from 1988 onwards. He held a dual mandate of member of parliament and councillor from 1997 to 2002.

He was leader of Colchester Borough Council until 1991, having previously served as Mayor of Colchester for the year 1986–87.

Prior to standing as parliamentary candidate for the Liberal Democrats, Russell stood unsuccessfully for Parliament for Colchester in 1979 as a Labour candidate.


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