 He also joined the Labour Party, serving on Merseyside County Council from 1981 until 1986, and then on Warrington Borough Council from 1987.Simpson was a member of the European Parliament from 1989 until 1999 representing Cheshire East and from 1999 until 2004 representing the North West Region, when European Elections switched from First Past the Post to the List System.He lost his seat at the 2004 European Parliamentary Elections.