Norman Anthony Godman (19 April 1938 – 20 June 2018) was a Scottish Labour Party politician.
Early life
Godman was one of nine children born to a trawler skipper man and a mother who worked in fish processing. After leaving Westbourne Street Boys' School at fifteen, he worked as a shipwright before undertaking night classes and eventually graduating from Hull and Heriot-Watt Universities with a PhD and undertaking an academic career in Scotland.
He served in the Royal Military Police during his National Service.
Parliamentary career
Godman first stood for election to the House of Commons at the 1979 general election when he contested Aberdeen South, but lost to the sitting Conservative MP Iain Sproat by 772 votes.
He served as Member of Parliament for Greenock and Port Glasgow from 1983–97, and for Greenock and Inverclyde from 1997-2001. From 1988-89, he served as Opposition spokesman for Agricultural and Rural Affairs.
Renowned for his humility and integrity, he was a champion of the shipbuilding industry, particularly the Scott Lithgow yard on the lower Clyde. He was tenacious in his support for fishing communities and he took a lifelong interest in Irish affairs. On Northern Ireland, he championed an inquiry into Bloody Sunday and privately lobbied Tony Blair for Lord Cullen to chair an inquiry.
Godman served on the House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee (1983–87), the European Legislation Committee (1989–95), the Northern Ireland Committee for a year and the Foreign Affairs Committee (1997-2001).