▁the ▁time ▁of ▁her ▁death ▁she ▁was ▁Member ▁of ▁Parliament ▁for ▁B ark ing , ▁a ▁post ▁she ▁had ▁held ▁since ▁ 1 9 7 4 . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁She ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁New castle ▁upon ▁Ty ne . ▁She ▁attended ▁South end ▁High ▁School ▁for ▁Girls . ▁Her ▁father , ▁a ▁sales ▁representative , ▁had ▁stood ▁as ▁a ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁candidate ▁in ▁Dar ling ton ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s , ▁but ▁died ▁while ▁she ▁was ▁still ▁young . ▁Her ▁mother ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Cong reg ational ▁Church . ▁ ▁Despite ▁her ▁intellect , ▁Richard son ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁afford ▁a ▁university ▁education , ▁which ▁she ▁reg rett ed ▁throughout ▁her ▁life . ▁ ▁Parliament ary ▁career ▁Jo ining ▁the ▁Labour ▁Party ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁Richard son ▁began ▁her ▁political ▁career ▁as ▁Ian ▁Mik ardo ' s ▁secretary . ▁She ▁co - ordin ated ▁the ▁' Ke ep ▁Left ▁Group ' ▁and ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Trib une ▁Group ▁before ▁co - ordin ating ▁the ▁Vict ory ▁for ▁Social ism ▁Camp aign . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 1 ▁Richard son ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁Horn sey ▁Bor ough ▁Council ▁and ▁became ▁Mik ardo ' s ▁full - time ▁secretary ▁and ▁working ▁partner ▁in ▁his ▁business ▁which ▁involved ▁trade ▁with ▁eastern ▁Europe . ▁She ▁cont ested ▁the ▁parliament ary ▁seats ▁of ▁Mon mouth ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 1 ▁and ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁Horn ch urch