Bob Russell (British politician)
A fiercely local campaigner who became Colchester's longest-serving MP, known for his trademark bow tie and unwavering community focus.
Born 1946 (age 80)·British politician·Birthday: March 31·Baby Boomers
Biography
Bob Russell didn't just represent Colchester in Parliament; he embodied it. For 18 years, the Liberal Democrat with the ever-present bow tie was a fixture in the historic Essex town, a politician whose identity was inseparable from his constituency. His career was a masterclass in grassroots politics, built not on national media fame but on relentless local visibility—attending countless fairs, championing local regiments, and fighting for the town's museum. First elected in the 1997 Labour landslide, he defied national trends by holding the seat through three subsequent elections, a testament to a deeply personal connection with voters. In Westminster, he was a vocal backbencher, a defender of the Post Office, and a critic of university tuition fees. His 2015 defeat marked the end of an era for Colchester, closing the chapter on a politician who proved that hyper-local dedication could sustain a significant parliamentary career.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Bob was born in 1946, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bob Was Born
The biggest hits of 1946
#1 Movie
The Best Years of Our Lives
Best Picture
The Best Years of Our Lives
Bob's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1946Born
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1951Started school
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1959Became a teenager
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Could drive
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1964Could vote
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Turned 21
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1976Turned 30
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 40
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 50
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 60
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 70
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 80
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the Member of Parliament for Colchester for 18 years, from 1997 to 2015.
- Successfully defended his seat in four consecutive general elections as a Liberal Democrat.
- Appointed as the Liberal Democrat spokesman for Defence and then for Culture, Media and Sport.
Did You Know?
He is known for almost always wearing a bow tie.
Before entering politics full-time, he worked as a journalist for the Essex County Standard newspaper.
He was knighted in 2013, becoming Sir Bob Russell.
“A town's character is built on its history, and we must fight to protect every brick of it.”
