He served for five years as the vice chairman of the Ashton under Lyne Constituency Labour Party from 1995, and since the retirement of Ashton's veteran Labour MP Robert Sheldon at the 2001 General Election, he has represented the seat comfortably in the House of Commons.
He served for five years as the vice chairman of the Ashton under Lyne Constituency Labour Party from 1995. He has represented the seat comfortably in the House of Commons. This was since the retirement of Ashton's veteran Labour MP Robert Sheldon at the 2001 General Election.