Former MP Bob Blizzard dies aged 71
Bob Blizzard, who served as the Labour MP for the Suffolk constituency of Waveney from 1997 to 2010, died on 5 May aged 71.
Originally a teacher, Blizzard’s was elected as a Waveney councillor in 1987, becoming council leader in 1991. He was first elected to Parliament in the 1997 Labour landslide.
Blizzard fought tirelessly for a third crossing over Lake Lothing in Lowestoft, which finally began construction in 2021, and served as a whip under Gordon Brown. He lost the bellwether seat in 2010.
Labour leader Keir Starmer said: “It is incredibly sad to learn of Bob’s passing. He served the people of Waveney, firstly in local government and then in Parliament, for more than 20 years and was an inspiration to so many in the Labour Party in Suffolk.”
A full tribute to Blizzard will run in the next edition of The House.