POLITICAL ACTIVITY

Michael joined the Labour Party while at school, and has held numerous voluntary posts within the Party. As Worcester’s MP, he introduced the Wild Mammals (Hunting with Dogs) Bill in 1997 to ban hunting. Despite winning a huge Parliamentary majority at the time, it took a further seven years before the Bill became law.

In 1999 he introduced the School Crossing Patrol Bill to improve road safety, following a local campaign in Worcester. That Bill was adopted immediately by the Government and was incorporated into the Transport Act 2000.

In 2004 he re-introduced a Bill to give all pensioners free bus travel. The measure was unopposed but ran out of Parliamentary time. In March 2005 however, the Government incorporated the measure into the Budget, and it will take effect in April 2006.

He was Secretary of the All Party Parliamentary Group of Further Education and a member of the Education Select Committee until June 2001. In 2005, he became Joint Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Lifelong Learning.

After the General Election in 2001 he was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Lifelong Learning and Higher Education Minister at the Department of Education and Skills. In July 2002 he was appointed Chair of the newly formed All Party Parliamentary Group on Flood Prevention. In May 2005 he was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to Peter Hain, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

In May 2006, he was telephoned by the Prime Minister and offered his first ministerial appointment in the Government Whips' Office. He has responsibilities for Northern Ireland and for Constitutional Affairs