bˈɔːɹn ɪn tˈɑːtənˌæm, hiː wʌz ˈɛdʒuːkˌeɪɾᵻd æt tˈɑːtənˌæm ɡɹˈæmɚ skˈuːl ænd ðə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ʌv ˈiːst ˈæŋɡliə wˌɛɹ hiː dʒˈɔɪnd ðə sˌiːpˌiːdʒˌiːbˈiː ænd mˈɛt hɪz fˈɜːst wˈaɪf ˈæn.
Born in Tottenham, he was educated at Tottenham Grammar School and the University of East Anglia where he joined the CPGB and met his first wife Anne.