Member for Huddersfield since 1983. Committees: Chair, Education and Skills Committee since 2001; Vice-Chair, All-Party University Group since 2001; Chair, Education Committee 1999-2001; Member of Advisory Panel, New Health Forum since 2000; Member, Liaison Committee since 1999; Chair, All-Party Euro Preparations Group since 1999; Chair, All-Party Design and Innovation Group since 1999; Chair, All-Party Manufacturing Industry Group since 1997; Secretary, All-Party Sustainable Waste Group since 1997; Chair, Parliamentary Advisory Council on Transport Safety since 1981; Chair and Interparliamentary Director, Democracy International; Chair, Interparle (Parliamentary Communication Across Europe); Vice-Chair, World Bank Business Partnership for Development Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP). Political career: Chair, Education Committee Education and Skills since 2001, and Education 1999-2001; Shadow Minister for Disability 1992-94; Shadow Minister for Home Affairs 1987-92; Shadow Minister for Education and Employment 1983-87. Special political interests: Education, industry, environment, road safety, political entrepreneurship. Profession/Trade: University Lecturer, American Studies, University of Swansea 1966-79. Education: Hampton Grammar School; Kingston Technical College; London School of Economics and Political Science, BSc Economics; London School of Economics and Political Science, MSc, Sociology. Languages spoken: French. Affiliations: Association of University Teachers (AUT); Manufacturing, Science, Finance (MSF); Fellow, Industry and Parliament Trust; Director and Trustee, National Children's Centre. Co-author of: Harold Laski: A Life on the Left (1993). Hobbies: Walking, listening to music, biography, films, member of the Royal Commonwealth Club.
b. 17 August 1940, Sunbury-on-Thames. Married with four children.

2005				2001
LAB HOLD	Votes	%	+/- %	Votes	%
Labour	16,341	46.8	-6.5	18,840	53.2
Lib Dem	7,990	22.9	7.9	5,300	15
Conservative	7,597	21.7	-3.1	8,794	24.9
Green	1,651	4.7	1.2	1,524	3.5
BNP	1,036	3.0	-	-	-
Independent	325	0.9	-	-	-
UKIP	-	-	-	613	1.7
Soc Alliance	-	-	-	374	1.1
Soc Labour	-	-	-	208	0.6
Majority	8,351	23.9	-	10,046	28.4
Turnout	34,940	56.6	1.6	35,383	55