Member for Wirral West since 1997. Committees: Vice-Chair, Parliamentary Labour Party Home Affairs Committee since 2001; Member, Health Select Committee 1999-2001; Member, Northern Ireland Affairs 1997-99; Founder and Secretary, All-Party Parliamentary Group on Primary Care and Public Health since 1998. Political career: Parliamentary Candidate for Suffolk South 1992. Special political interests: Health, home affairs. Profession/Trade: Non-practising barrister. Title/Honours/Decorations: Fellow, the Royal Institute of Public Health 1999. Education: University of Bradford, BSc Social Sciences; University of Westminster, Postgraduate Diploma Law. Affiliations: Member, GMB Trade Union. Hobbies: Biographies, Manchester United, watching sons play football.
b. 27 May 1957, Lowton St Marys. Married with two children.

2005				2001
LAB HOLD	Votes	%	+/- %	Votes	%
Labour	17,543	42.6	-4.7	19,105	47.2
Conservative	16,446	39.9	2.7	15,070	37.2
Lib Dem	6,652	16.1	0.6	6,300	15.6
UKIP	429	1.0	-	-	-
Alternative	163	0.4	-	-
Majority	1,097	1,093		4,035	10
Turnout	41,233	67.5	2.5	40,475	65