Member for Walsall South since 1974. Committees: Chair, General Committee on Political Affairs and Security, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly; former Chair, Political Committee and the Special Mediterranean Group, North Atlantic Assembly; Chair, Defence Select Committee since 1997 and Member since 1979; Chair, General and Security Committee, Parliamentary Assembly OSCE; Chair, various committees of North Atlantic Assembly. Political career: Member, North Atlantic Assembly since 1983; former Chair and now General Rapporteur of the Political Committee of the North Atlantic Assembly; Parliamentary Candidate for Southport 1970; joined Labour Party in 1963. Special political interests: Defence, arms control, policing and private security, housing. Profession/Trade: Lecturer on defence and security. Education: Mountain Ash Grammar School; University College, Swansea; University of Warwick. Affiliations: Member, NATFHE, APEX; Founder Organiser, House of Commons Football Club.
b. 1 June 1942. Married.

2005				2001
LAB HOLD	Votes	%	+/- %	Votes	%
Labour	17,633	49.9	-9.0	20,574	59
Conservative	9,687	27.4	-3.1	10,643	30.5
Lib Dem	3,240	9.2	2.4	2,365	6.8
UKIP	1,833	5.2	2.4	974	2.8
BNP	1,776	5.0	-		-
Respect	1,146	3.3	-	-	-
Soc Alliance	-	-	-	343	1
Majority	7,946	22.5		9,931	28.5
Turnout	35,315	58.5	2.8	34,899	55.7