The UK’s oldest living former MP has moved into the digital age.

Ron Atkins, who twice represented the Preston North constituency, has set up a blog.

Advertisements

In it he muses on Labour’s election campaign so far and looks at the manifesto launch and how the 1970s ‘weren’t so bad after all‘.

Mr Atkins, who was MP from 1966 to 1970 and again from 1974 to 1979, is 100 (soon to be 101) and can’t get out on the doorstep campaign due to his age.

His wife, Elizabeth, who was recently re-elected as a councillor for Ashton on Preston City Council, said he was frustrated he couldn’t be out and about in this campaign.

She said: “Ron was a bit down when he realised this last by-election would be the first election in which he had taken no active part, knocking doors etc.

“So I suggested he try his hand at a blog. Once I’d explained the concept and potential of one blog post reaching many more people than a door knocking ever could, he was sold.

“He has improved in leaps and bounds and is very enthusiastic. He told his daughter he had ‘taken to it like a duck to water’.”

Read more: How Preston City Council’s ward boundaries may look

You can browse Ron’s musings on his blog entitled T’other Side.