Member for Eccles since 1997. Committees: Member, Backbench PLP Group, Foreign Affairs 1997-2001; Member, Deregulation Select Committee 1998-2001; Member, Information Select Committee 1998-2001; Member, Backbench PLP Group, Education and Employment since 1997, Trade and Industry since 1997; Member, Backbench PLP Group, Treasury since 1997; member of a large number of All-Party Groups including the Chemical Industry, Retail Industry, Regeneration, United Nations Association; Vice-Chair, All-Party China Group; Chair, All-Party Group for Vaccine Damaged Children; Chair, All-Party Media Group. Political career: Government Representative for Defence Sports since 2002; Parliamentary Private Secretary to Brian Wilson MP, Minister for Energy and Construction since 2001. Special political interests: Employment, education and training, economic policy, trade and industry, energy policy, international affairs (especially China and the Far East). Profession/Trade: Union officer.
Education: Irlam High School; Stretford Technical College; Manchester Metropolitan University. Affiliations: Member, TGWU; Fellow, Industry and Parliament Trust.
b. 28 August 1950, Blantyre, Scotland. Married with three children.

2005				2001
LAB HOLD	Votes	%	+/- %	Votes	%
Labour	19,702	56.9	-7.6	21,395	64.5
Conservative	6,816	19.7	-1.0	6,867	20.7
Lib Dem	6,429	18.6	3.7	4,920	14.8
UKIP	1,685	4.9	-	-	-
Majority	12,886	37.2	-	14,528	43.8
Turnout	34,632	50.2	1.9	33,182	48.3