Member for Leeds Central since June 1999 by-election. Committees: Member, Environment, Transport and the Regions Select Committee 1999-2001; Vice-Chair, Backbench Education Committee of Labour MPs 1999-2001.
Political career: Secretary of State for International Development since 2003; Prisons and Probation Minister, Home Office 2002; Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development since 2001; Special Advisor to the Rt Hon David Blunkett MP, Secretary of State for Education and Employment 1997-99; Chair, Management Committee of Unions 21 (the trade union think tank) 1995-99; Member, Labour Party into Power TaskForce on party democracy 1996-97; Member, Labour Party's Environment Policy Commission 1994-97; MSF Representative, Labour Party National Policy Forum 1994-97; Ealing Council Performance Review Lead Member for Education 1994-97; Deputy Leader of the Labour Group 1984-94; Member, Association of Metropolitan Authorities Education Committee 1986-90; Chair, Association of London Authorities Education Committee 1988-90; Parliamentary Candidate for Ealing North 1983 and 1987 General Elections; Joint Secretary to the Finance Panel of the Labour Party Commission of Inquiry 1980; Councillor, London Borough of Ealing 1979-99; President of Ealing Acton Constituency Labour Party 1979-82. Special political interests: Home affairs, urban regeneration, education.
Education: Holland Park Comprehensive School; University of Sussex, BA (Hons) Russian Studies. Hobbies: Watching sport, gardening.
b. 26 November 1953, Hammersmith, London. Married with four children.

2005				2001
LAB HOLD	Votes	%	+/- %	Votes	%
Labour	17,526	60.1	-6.9	18,277	66.9
Lib Dem	5,660	19.4	6.2	3,607	13.2
Conservative	3,865	13.2	-1.0	3,896	14.3
BNP	1,201	4.1	-	-	-
UKIP	494	1.7	-1.2	775	2.8
Independent	189	0.7	-	-	-
Independent T	126	0.4	-	-	-
Alliance for Change	125	0.4	-	-	-
Soc Alliance	-	-	-	751	2.8
Majority	11,866	40.7	-	14,381	52.7
Turnout	29,186	46.4	4.7	27,306	41.7