Iddon, Brian

Papers relating to Brian Iddon's interest in matters concerning illicit drugs, euthanasia, and legislation surrounding medicinal products, dating from his time as an MP in the Labour governments of 1997-2010.

This collection includes material which has not yet been catalogued. Additions to an archive are referred to as 'accruals'. A summary of the uncatalogued materials in this collection is provided under 'Accruals'.

1995-2010

28 boxes Uncatalogued: 1 archive box; 1 folder

Brian Iddon donated these papers to the library at Wellcome Collection in April 2010. Further accruals have been donated since 2010; see 'accruals' for further details.

Dr. Brian Iddon, BSc, PhD, DSc (Hull), FRSC, CChem pursued an academic career as a synthetic organic chemist, including at the Universities of Durham and Salford. His PhD at Hull was on the subject of serotonin agonists and antagonists and he subsequently maintained an interest in the chemistry of the brain. From 1977 to 1998 Iddon served as a Councillor on Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council and in 1998 was made an Honorary Alderman for his services to the town. In 1997 he was elected as Labour MP for the Bolton South East Parliamentary seat, being re-elected in 2001 and again in 2005. Whilst serving as an MP he was a member of the Science and Technology Select Committee and Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Chemical Industry. He had many and wide-ranging interests whilst in Parliament but took a particular interest in matters relating to government policy on illicit drugs, euthanasia, and legislation surrounding medicinal products. He was the Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Drugs Misuse Group and also acted as a Patron for the Care Not Killing Alliance Ltd, an organisation that campaigns against assisted suicide and euthanasia and which promotes better palliative care. Brian Iddon retired from Parliament in April 2010.

Brian Iddon also donated to the Wellcome Library a collection of published material and some audio visual recordings. These are catalogued in the main Library catalogue.

Iddon's papers relating to his general work as a constutuency MP for Bolton South have been deposited with Bolton Museum and Archive Service.

This collection is currently partially uncatalogued. Uncatalogued material cannot be ordered online. Requests to view uncatalogued material are considered on a case by case basis. Please contact collections@wellcomecollection.org for more details.

Uncatalogued accruals to the collection:
Acc 2305 (Jul 2016; 1 box) Minute meetings, emails and press cuttings relating to euthanaisia/assisted suicide, and the work of Care Not Killing; 2010-2014; Loose papers.
Acc 2726 (May 2023): 1 file - correspondence between Dr Brian Iddon (MP, Bolton South East) and Theodor Scheinmann (MD, Salford Ultrafine Chemicals) relating to alternatives to methadone for heroin drug users, and efforts to engage the Department of Health in using L-Methadone as a substitute treatment method. Salford Ultrafine Chemicals developed a process to manufacture one 'stereoisomer' of the mixture of two kinds of molecules that is commercial methadone, to create a methadone alternative that would be a safer alternative to methadone. Also includes related correspondence and papers relating to L-Methadone.