Ronald Richard Thomas (16 March 1929 – 19 December 2020) was a British Labour Party politician and Member of Parliament (MP) who represented Bristol North West from 1974 to 1979.

[1][3] Thomas contested the marginal Bristol North West seat at the February 1974 general election, which had been called by Prime Minister Edward Heath.

In 1975, he was part of a joint statement made by Bristol Labour MPs advocating a vote against membership of the European Communities in that year's UK referendum.

He was one of the most rebellious Labour MPs of the 1974 to 1979 Parliament, voting against his party's government 137 times, a number which was second only to Dennis Skinner.

In this context, Thomas lost his seat to the Conservative candidate, Michael Colvin, on a swing of 5.0%, who won with a majority of 4,677 (8.8%).

He was elected as a councillor on Avon County Council in 1985, representing Eastville ward (centred on the area of the same name).

At the subsequent general election in 1987, Thomas was again a Labour candidate, this time for Bristol East, which bordered his former seat and included the Eastville ward which he represented as a councillor.

The day before the referendum, Thomas appeared to be endorsing a vote for 'Leave', when he wrote:Was this not an example of the recycling back to the UK of part of the massive annual fee paid to be a member of the EU Club?