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Mo’s husband, a Labour stalwart and champion in the City, dies at 53
Nicholas Cecil6 Feb 2009
Jon Norton, who was married to former Ulster Secretary Mo Mowlam, has died.
Mr Norton who worked for a number of banks in the City, passed away earlier this week at the age of 53.
Founder of the Left-wing think-tank Demos, Mr Norton also set up the Thousand Club to raise money for Labour.
He was left deeply saddened by the death of Ms Mowlam in 2005 and is said to have also become disillusioned with New Labour.
He came back into the public eye the year after Ms Mowlam's death when it emerged that he was having a relationship with Clare Short, the former Overseas Aid Secretary.
Mr Norton, who also worked as a journalist and artist, set up the Smithfield Group, which met in the crypt of Bow Church, to champion Labour in the City during the Thatcher years.
Mr Norton lived in a farmhouse near Sittingbourne, Kent.
Brian Basham, co-founder of the Thousand Club, today paid tribute to him.
“He stood up for Labour during the Thatcher years and really was the fountain head of support for Labour in the City,” he said.
Mr Norton had a long career as a banker including as director for new business development, Middle East for the ANZ Investment bank.
As an artist, his works were exhibited in London, Birmingham and Chipping Campden.
Mr Norton married Ms Mowlam in 1995 and she was MP for Redcar from 1987 to 2001.
She died aged 55 in August 2005 after a fall at home. She had previously suffered a brain tumour.
She was famous for her plain-speaking while seeking to push forward the peace process in Northern Ireland.
Reader views (2)
Dear Henrietta & Freddie
Sorry to hear of your sad loss - such a shock to us all -our thoughts are with you
- Doreen Hughes (aunt), Denise Greenway & Chris Hughes (Cousins), Stratford on Avon, 07/02/2009 12:48
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I share the late Jon Norton's disillusion with New Labour and their experiment that has all but destroyed a mixed economy and played a part in denying the basic protections for families and individuals to engage in an economic and socially productive and secure life. Blair and Brown have lead us up the 'garden path' and dumped upon us. We have lost so many good folk to name just Mo Molam and Robin Cook who must have died in a state of frustration and misery about what New Labour had done to the Nation. Socialism is not at fault here - it's the tyranny by those who were and who are now at the top who have lost the plot and have deemed fit to debase a perfectly workable political system seemingly for their own gratification and at great cost to the population. My condolences to Clare - another honest political operator.
- John, Leighton Buzzard, Beds, 06/02/2009 16:14
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