Whilst Wigg's mother was extremely industrious, delivering milk alongside doing all the household work, his father was "indolent, disgruntled and lacking ambition" despite his wife's encouragement.

Wigg served in the British Army as a regular soldier for almost all his career (from 1918 to 1937)[3] up to his election as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Dudley in 1945.

[5] In January 1964, Wigg won a High Court action for libel against Angus Maude, a Conservative member.

When Labour narrowly won the 1964 election Wilson appointed Wigg to the office of Paymaster General.

In November 1967, he was appointed Chairman of the Horserace Betting Levy Board (Wigg loved horse racing) and left Parliament.