Member for Rotherham since 1994. Committees: Member, Finance Bill Committee 1995; Member, Korea Group; Member, Taiwan Group. Political career: Appointed Minister for Europe 2002; Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 1997-2001; Parliamentary Candidate for Solihull 1974. Special political interests: Economy, manufacturing, fiscal, labour market, European policy issues. Profession/Trade: President, National Union of Journalists 1978-79; BBC producer 1969-77; international trade union official. Education: St Benedict's School, Ealing; Merton College, Oxford; London University, MA History, PhD International Economics. Author of: Fran篩se Mitterand - a Political Biography; Solidarity - Poland's Independent Trade Union; Power! - Black Workers and the Struggle for Freedom in South Africa; International Labour and the Origins of the Cold War; writes regularly for national newspapers and political journals, also for French, German and American newspapers. Affiliations: Senior member of the Fabian Society Executive. Hobbies: Skiing, walking, gardening.
b. 21 May 1948. Married with four children.

2005				2001
LAB HOLD	Votes	%	+/- %	Votes	%
Labour	15,840	52.8	-11.1	18,759	63.9
Lib Dem	5,159	17.2	6.6	3,117	10.6
Conservative	4,966	16.6	-2.8	5,682	19.4
BNP	1,986	6.6	-	-	-
UKIP	1,122	3.7	1.3	730	2.5
Green	905	3.0	1.1	577	2
Soc Alliance	-	-	-	352	1.2
Independent	-	-	-	137	0.5
Majority	10,681	35.6		13,077	44.5
Turnout	29,978	55.1	4.4	29,354	50.7