Steve Kemp (trade unionist)

Steve Kemp (born 1961) is a British trade unionist.

Kemp grew up in South Hiendley in West Yorkshire, and worked briefly as a butcher before becoming a coal miner at South Kirkby Colliery. He became active in the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), and participated in the miners' strike of 1984 to 1985.[1]

In 1988, the South Kirkby mine closed, and Kemp moved to work at the Stillingfleet Mine, near Selby. A supporter of Arthur Scargill, he became treasurer, and then secretary of his union branch.[2][1] He stood for the Labour Party National Executive Committee (NEC) in 1996 and for several years afterwards, but was never elected.[3] He also attempted to become the Labour candidate in the 1996 Hemsworth by-election, but was barred from standing by a panel of NEC members.[4]

Kemp was elected as Secretary of the NUM in 2002,[5] proposing to strengthen the union's links with the Labour Party.[6] He stood down in 2007,[7] and joined the political department of the GMB Union.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b Simon Garfield, "Why would a miner strike in 1995?", The Independent, 29 June 1995
  2. ^ "Orders of the Day — Coal Industry Bill", parliament.uk, 15 January 1992
  3. ^ "The Labour Party Elections 1996"
  4. ^ Andy McSmith, Faces of Labour: The Inside Story, p.130
  5. ^ Peter Lazenby, "The fallen giant", Yorkshire Evening Post, 21 November 2002
  6. ^ "An era over as Scargill bows out", The Scotsman, 30 July 2002
  7. ^ "Mining union chief to stand down", BBC News, 12 July 2007
  8. ^ "About GMB and Politics", GMB
Trade union offices
Preceded by
Position vacant
 General Secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers
2002–2007 		Succeeded by