Members of Parliament for Accrington - Asian Image

Member of Parliament for Hyndburn

Party

Committees

Foreign Affairs Committee, Intellectual Property Group, Leisure Shopping Group, St George's Day Group

Surgery Information

Contact office to find out dates and times of next surgery

50 Abbey Street
Accrington
BB5 1EE

Surgery Telephone 01254 382283

Surgery Email popeg@parliament.uk

Biography

MP Since - 1992 Majority - 5,587 Born - 29/08/1960. Married, 2 sons, 1 daughter.

Education - St Mary's College Blackburn, Hull University.

Previous Occupation - Coordinator of the Blackburn Trade Union Centre for the Unemployed (1983-85), Paper worker for the Star Newspaper (1985-87), Local Government Officer for Lancashire County Council (1987-92). Member of UNISON.

Personal Overview - From a background as a print worker and working in Local Government, he has entered Government as an Assistant Government Whip. He appears to have a strong interest in Educational issues, being a member of the Education Select Committee from (1992-95), as well as a former Secretary of the Parliamentary Labour Party Education Committee. Opposed the Maastricht Treaty on the grounds of the Social Chapter opt-out negotiated by the then Conservative Government. Working for the Clause Four redrafting earnt leadership favour, and was posted to the Whip's Office for Labour's first term, before being removed in the 2001 post election reshuffle. On the back benches he has remained a party loyalist and shown an interest in Foreign Affairs issues through his Select Committee membership and also having been the Chairman and latterly Vice Chairman of the Labour Party Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs Committee.

Political History - Councillor Hyndburn Borough Council (1984-88), Blackburn Borough Council (1989-91), Contested Ribble Valley (19879), MP Hyndburn (1992-). Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party Foreign Affairs Committee (2005-06). Member Education Select Committee (1994-95), Opposition Whip (1995-97), Assistant Government Whip (1997-99), Government Whip (1999-2001), Member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee (2001-). Member of the Chairmen's Panel (2005-). Vice Chairman PLP Departmental Committee for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs (2006-).

Characteristics - One of the youngest MPs from the 1992 intake, as well as having experience of Local Government, he has shown an interest in Education. A practising Catholic he has the distinction of giving his electorate the opportunity to cast their ballot for 'Pope Gregory'.

Information supplied by Goveval. Send feedback to info@goveval.com