He was a miner from 1958 -- 86 .
Before entering parliament he was a district councillor on Blyth Valley Borough Council from 1969 and a lay official of the National Union of Mineworkers ( NUM ) .
district councillor was a district councillor from 1958 -- 86 .
Before entering parliament he was a district councillor on Blyth Valley Borough Council from 1969 and a lay official of the National Union of Mineworkers ( NUM ) .