Neil Kinnock graduated from Cardiff University in History and Industrial Relations and was a Workers’ Educational Association Tutor in Industrial and Trade Union Studies before his election to parliament as a Labour member for Bedwellty (late Islwyn) in 1970. Elected to the Labour Party National Executive in 1978 and the shadow cabinet in 1979, he was the Party’s chief spokesman on education until 1983, when he became Leader of the Party, a position he held until 1992, when he resigned in the wake of defeat in the general election. He took a leading role in the establishment of the IPPR in 1988.

In 1995, Neil Kinnock was appointed to the European Commission and took the Transport and Trans-European Network portfolio. In 1999, he was reappointed and promoted to Vice President with responsibility for Administrative Reform and the Audit, Linguistics and Logistics Directorates General. On his retirement in 2004, he was appointed Chairman of the British Council – a post which he held until 2009 – and made a life peer.

Neil Kinnock was President of Cardiff University from 1998–2010. He has published two books and several pamphlets and articles in various publications.