The son of a Northumberland miner , he attended King Edward VI School , Morpeth .
He went on to obtain a scholarship to St John 's College , Cambridge , where he graduated with a 2 : 1 degree in Modern History .
The son of a Northumberland miner , he attended King Edward VI School , Morpeth , and he went on to obtain a scholarship to St John 's College , Cambridge , where he graduated with a 2 : 1 degree in Modern History .