Member for Morley and Rothwell since 2001. Committees: Founder Member, All-Party Parliamentary Group on Free Trade since 2003; Member, Environmental Audit Select Committee; Chair, Performance Review Committee 1992-94. Political career: Secretary, Morley South Branch Labour Party since 1998; Agent, Leeds North East Parliamentary Election 1997; Secretary, Labour Group 1991-94; Member, Hull City Council 1986-94; Parliamentary Candidate for Beverley 1992; Agent, European Elections (Humberside Constituency) since 1989; Chair, North Hull Constituency Labour Party 1986-87. Special political interests: Environment, trade policy, economy, pensions, animal welfare. Profession/Trade: Self-employed writer and researcher since 2000; Royal Air Force 1971-74. Education: Norton Secondary Modern; Malton Grammar School; Open University; University of Hull, BA (Hons) 2:2 Philosophy. Affiliations: Member, League Against Cruel Sports since 1976; Member, SERA (Socialist Environment Resources Association). Author of: (booklets) Save as You Travel: New Directions in Mutual Ownership (1999); In Defence of the Party: The Secret State, the Conservatives and Dirty Tricks (1996); The Quarrelsome Quill: Hull's Radical Press from 1832 (co-author Mike Hughes) (1984); (book) The Price of Power: The Secret Funding of the Conservative Party (1998).
b. 12 June 1953, Scarborough.

2005				2001
LAB HOLD	Votes	%	+/- %	Votes	%
Labour	20,570	48.4	-8.6	21,919	57
Conservative	8,227	19.4	-6.2	9,829	25.6
Lib Dem	6,819	16.1	1.9	5,446	14.2
Independent	4,608	10.8	-	-	-
BNP	2,271	5.3	-	-	-
UKIP	-	-	-	1,248	3.2
Majority	12,343	29.0		12,090	31.4
Turnout	42,495	58.8	5.3	38,442	53.5