Member for Mansfield since 1987. Committees: Numerous, including: Chair, Stags Community Trust since 2002; Commissioner, War Graves Commission since 2002; Official Rapporteur, Western European Union 'Petersburg Tasks' since 2001; Vice-Chair, Council of Europe Committee 'Sustainable Development' since 2002; Official Rapporteur, Council of Europe 'Kyoto Protocol' since 2001; Vice-President, The Executive Council of the Arboricultural Society since 1999; Founder, Ex-Chair and now Executive Member, Parliamentary Beer Industries Committee; Member, Parliamentary Racing and Bloodstocks Group; Ex-Secretary, All-Party Parliamentary Greyhound Group; Vice-Chair, Parliamentary Ukraine Committee; Member, War Pensions Board 1989-97; Ex-Secretary, All-Party Animal Welfare Group; Parliamentary Representative, SSAFA (Armed Forces Social Welfare Organisation) 1989-95; Member, Parliamentary Court of Referees since 1997. Political career: Member, Council of Europe and Western European Union Interim Security and Defence Assembly since 2000; Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment 1998-99; Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Rt Hon John Prescott, Deputy Prime Minister 1997-98; Parliamentary and Political Advisor to the Rt Hon Michael Meacher MP 1985-97; Parliamentary Private Secretary to John Prescott MP, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party 1994-97; Frontbench Labour Whip 1992-94; Assistant to Ray Bickton, General Secretary of ASLEF 1980-83. Special political interests: Home affairs, transport, social security, human rights, environment, drugs misuse, sport, music, unemployment, poverty, the media, health. Profession/Trade: Author, editor, political advisor, journalist. Education: St Joseph's RC School, Bishop Auckland; University of Durham; Ruskin College, Oxford; Sheffield Hallam University. Author/editor of: various pamphlets and books. Affiliations: Child Poverty Action Group; MSF; Co-op Party. Hobbies: Walking, reading, writing, arts, Cyprus, sports, Mansfield Town FC.
b. 3 July 1949, Bishop Auckland, County Durham. Married with two children.

2005				2001
LAB HOLD	Votes	%	+/- %	Votes	%
Labour	18,400	48.1	-9.0	21,050	57.1
Conservative	7,035	18.4	-8.8	10,012	27.2
Independent	6,491	17.0	-	-	-
Lib Dem	5,316	13.9	-1.8	5,790	15.7
Veritas	1,034	2.7	-	-	-
Majority	11,365	29.7	-	11,038	30.0
Turnout	38,276	55.4	0.2	36,852	55.2