[1][2] Owen was born in Bedwellty, Monmouthshire and went to Blaina Boys' Central School, which he left at the age of 13 to go to work in the local coal mines.
Already involved in Labour Party politics, in 1923 Owen was elected to Blaina District Council, on which he served for four years.
He remained a backbencher throughout his time at Westminster, although he did introduce a Private Members' Bill to regulate driving tests in 1966.
Owen was allied with the left and wanted the British government to distance itself from the United States over the Vietnam War.
Bail was refused and Owen was held in custody until his trial at the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey) in April 1970.
In spite of the obvious danger, he was always demanding free holidays in Czechoslovakia so that he might save the expense of having to pay for the vacation himself.