Tappin was nominated as the Labour Party candidate in the 1994 European Parliament election for the seat of Staffordshire West and Congleton.
Unusually, all parties claimed to be the 'opposition' in the seat - Labour and Lib Dems because of boundary changes, Conservatives because they were in a minority in the European Parliament.
Mr Tappin was supported in his campaign by a talented team of young Labour members.
The 'inner core' of this team, as one local councillor put it, made the John F. Kennedy campaign look like aged amateurs.
One major decision under his watch was the sale of the Council's stake in the Britannia Stadium to Stoke City F.C.