Martin John Salter is a United Kingdom politician and fisherman. He is Labour Member of Parliament for the Reading West parliamentary constituency.

Biography

Martin Salter was born in Hampton, in west London, on the 19th April 1954. He was educated at Hampton Grammar School and the University of Sussex. He is single, and has no children. He moved to live in Reading in 1980.

Before entering politics, Martin Salter worked in various jobs, including working as a lorry driver, scaffolder, builder's labourer, refuse collector and airport cargo handler. Latterly he worked as a coordinator for a centre for the unemployed and for a housing cooperative.

From 1984 to 1997, Martin Salter was a Labour councillor on Reading Borough Council, during which time he chaired the leisure committee and served as deputy leader. In 1987 he stood for election in the Reading East parliamentary constituency, but was defeated. In the general election of 1997, he was elected as member of Parliament for the Reading West parliamentary constituency, a position he retained in the following general election in 2001.

In parliament, Martin served on the Select Committee on Northern Ireland through the period of the Good Friday Agreement. He is probably best known at a national level for his opposition to the privatisation of the United Kingdom air traffic control system. At a local level he is an active constituency MP, with frequent appearances in the local media and at local meetings.

To quote his own words, Martin Salter is also a "mad fishing nut and Reading football fan".

External links

• Martin Salter's official web site