15 Facts About John Townend

John Ernest Townend was a British politician who was a Member of Parliament for the Conservative Party.

John Townend studied accountancy from 1951 to 1957 as an articled clerk, and received the Plender Prize for the top prize when he became a Chartered Accountant.

John Townend then served in the Royal Air Force as a commissioned Pilot Officer from 1957 to 1959.

John Townend was Chairman of the Yorkshire and Humberside Wine and Spirit Merchants' Association.

John Townend was active in local politics and unsuccessfully contested the parliamentary seat of Hull North at the 1970 general election.

John Townend was then elected to Humberside County Council in 1973, becoming the Leader of the Conservative Group and shadow Chairman of the Policy Committee.

John Townend became a member of the Conservative National Advisory Committee on local Government.

John Townend subsequently became Leader of the county council, Chairman of its Policy Committee, and member of the Policy Committee of the Association of County Councils, 1977.

John Townend was a member of Hull City Council from 1966 to 1974.

At the 1979 general election, John Townend was elected as the Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire, a seat which he held until his retirement in 2001.

John Townend served as Secretary of the Conservative Back-bench Finance Committee and was a member of the Select Committee on Treasury and Civil Service affairs and Vice-Chairman of the Back-bench Finance Committee.

John Townend was Principle Private Secretary to Hugh Rossi, the Minister of Pensions and the Disabled.

John Townend became Chairman of the Small Businesses Committee, a Fellow of the Industry and Parliament Trust, and a member of the Executive Committee of IPU.

John Townend was renowned for his outspoken views on race and immigration.

John Townend lived in Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire, and was a member of the Conservative-affiliated Carlton Club.