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I have only ever sought to represent this constituency. I have never lived more than fifteen miles from Clacton Town Hall and I am proud of my roots.
I grew up playing football in the Clacton and District Sunday League and was a Tendring District Councillor at the time I was elected to parliament in 1997.
At that time I was working as a docker at Harwich International Port where I represented my fellow workers in the RMT union. I am a staunch trade unionist and served a three year term on my union’s national executive.
I have been here through the good times and the bad. I was here in the 1990s when we were suffering crippling levels of unemployment and when many could only find low paid, seasonal work paying a pittance because there was no National Minimum Wage.
Having been elected to parliament as your MP in 1997 I was proud and delighted to vote to introduce such measures as the National Minimum Wage, The New Deal initiative, Family Tax Credits, Guaranteed Winter Heating Payments and free bus passes for those aged 60 and over.
I was also proud to play a leading role in the abolition of Hunting with Dogs and to lobby successfully for massive government investment into our local schools, hospitals and local transport systems. Whenever I visit a Sure Start centre it is a great feeling to know I played a part in bringing it about.
So much was achieved during my eight years as your MP and I would love the opportunity to carry on that work.
With a great team supporting me I was very proud of the service that my office provided to local constituents, organisations, charities and the voluntary sector and I know that this level of service and support can be achieved again in the future.
I was fortunate to serve in many government departments and know how much can be achieved by a hard working, local constituency MP who puts the case fairly and firmly for his area.
I am very grateful to everyone who was prepared to place their trust in me and to give me so much support during my time as your MP. I am now asking you to support me once again so that our area can once again have the level of representation in Westminster that we need and deserve.
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Biography