Dedicated follower of football

Date: 14/11/1996

One of the European Parliament's leading back-room boffins, Richard Corbett, has decided to step into the spotlight.

He seems certain to become a Euro MP, having given up his current post as deputy secretary-general of the European Parliament's Socialist Group to fight for Labour in the British constituency of Merseyside West, following the death earlier this year of Ken Stewart.

Corbett, 41, is a near certainty to take his place in the Strasbourg chamber. Labour had a 50,000 majority in 1994, and credentials for the job do not come any higher than his: the author of learned tomes on the EU, Corbett is an expert on institutional affairs and a well-respected guru on the Intergovernmental Conference. He has been an invaluable touchstone for Elizabeth Guigou, one of the Parliament's two observers at the IGC negotiations.

Besides, he is prepared to take a drop in salary to enter politics, so he must be serious.

But what will most appeal to voters in a soccer-mad part of the UK is the fact that Corbett is a passionate Liverpool football team supporter with an ability to name the winners of all the cup finals since the dawning of time.