Member for Dorset South since 2001. Committees: Member, Defence Select Committee 2001-03. Political career: Parliamentary Private Secretary to Health Minister Rosie Winterton since 2003; Councillor, Mendip District Council 1997-2001; Leader, Labour Group 1999-2000; Town Councillor, Frome 1995-2001; Mayor of Frome 1999; European Parliamentary Candidate, Dorset South 1997. Special political interests: Foreign policy, defence, international development, family policy, arts and sport, Belarus, Baltics, Iran. Profession/Trade: Manager, publishing company. Affiliations: Member, AMICUS; Member, GMB.
Married with two children.

2005				2001
LAB HOLD	Votes	%	+/- %	Votes	%
Labour	20,231	41.6	-0.3	19,027	42
Conservative	18,419	37.9	-3.7	18,874	41.6
Lib Dem	7,647	15.7	1.3	6,531	14.4
UKIP	1,571	3.2	1.2	913	2
L Cannabis	282	0.6	0.6	-	-
Respect	219	0.5	0.5	-	-
Personality And Rational Thinking?	107	0.2	0.2	-	-
Wessex Regionalist	83	0.2	0.2	-	-
Soc Lab	25	0.1	0.1	-	-
Majority	1,812	3.7		153	0.3
Turnout	48,584	68.8	3.3	45,345	65.5