Editing Neil Kinnock (section)

==Member of Parliament==
In June 1969, Kinnock won the Labour Party nomination for [[Bedwellty (UK Parliament constituency)|Bedwellty]] in [[South Wales]], which became [[Islwyn (UK Parliament constituency)|Islwyn]] for the [[1983 United Kingdom general election|1983 general election]]. He was first elected to the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] on 18 June 1970, and became a member of the [[National Executive Committee of the Labour Party]] in October 1978. Upon his becoming an MP, his father said "Remember Neil, MP stands not just for Member of Parliament, but also for Man of Principle."

In the [[1975 United Kingdom European Communities membership referendum|1975 referendum on Britain's membership of the European Communities]], Kinnock campaigned for Britain to leave the Common Market.<ref>{{cite web|date=6 April 2018|title=Neil Kinnock: why I changed my mind about Britain in Europe|url=https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/neil-kinnock-why-i-changed-my-mind-about-britain-in-europe-brexit-eu|access-date=5 September 2021|work=[[Prospect (magazine)|Prospect]]|archive-date=21 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621071753/https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/neil-kinnock-why-i-changed-my-mind-about-britain-in-europe-brexit-eu|url-status=live}}</ref> Following Labour's defeat at the [[1979 United Kingdom general election|1979 general election]], [[James Callaghan]] appointed Kinnock to the [[Shadow cabinet]] as education spokesman. His ambition was noted by other MPs, and [[David Owen]]'s opposition to the changes to the [[electoral college]] was thought to be motivated by the realisation that they would favour Kinnock's succession. Kinnock remained as education spokesman following the resignation of Callaghan as Leader of the Labour Party and the election of [[Michael Foot]] as his successor in late 1980.

In 1981, while still serving as Labour's education spokesman, Kinnock was alleged to have effectively scuppered [[Tony Benn]]'s attempt to replace [[Denis Healey]] as Labour's Deputy Leader by first supporting the candidacy of the more traditionalist Tribunite [[John Silkin]] and then urging Silkin supporters to abstain on the second, run-off, ballot.

Kinnock was known as a [[left-wing]]er, and gained prominence for his attacks on [[Margaret Thatcher]]'s handling of the [[Falklands War]] in 1982.