The former Manchester Labour MP Andrew Bennett, who has died aged 85, devoted most of his adult life to public service, as a school teacher and a councillor, before then spending 31 years in the House of Commons. He always put the pursuit of the political results he sought before any sort of personal recognition. A man of high principle, he believed in civil liberties, human rights and equal opportunities, and attempted to translate those beliefs in a way that improved other people’s lives.
He cared about the day-to-day issues of his constituents and would draw attention to the importance of allotments and parks and cemeteries in consideration of urban planning. He is also due some credit for Manchester’s orbital M60 motorway, created by joining existing motorways to form a city circuit, which he opened when the final section was completed in 2000.
