Dan Smith

Profile of the controversial 'economic overlord' of northern England.

This profile of the "economic overlord of the North of England" is a window on vanished worlds - and yet tremendously topical today. Former Newcastle council leader T. Dan Smith was one of the most famous local politicians of his day. Described here as a US-style 'town boss', he was a complex, flawed character who later proved corrupt, but also an articulate, original, sometimes foresighted thinker.

This was one of 26 editions of The Pacemakers, a series of British government-sponsored TV programmes distributed free of charge to North American and Australasian television stations. Each focused on an innovative or maverick contributor to British life.