Graham Jones (politician)
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Graham Jones | |
---|---|
![]() Jones in 2017 | |
Member of Parliament for Hyndburn | |
In office 6 May 2010 – 6 November 2019 | |
Preceded by | Greg Pope |
Succeeded by | Sara Britcliffe |
Personal details | |
Born | [1] Accrington, Lancashire, England | 3 March 1966
Nationality | British |
Political party | Labour |
Domestic partner | Kimberley Whitehead |
Children | 2 |
Residence | Baxenden |
Alma mater | University of Central Lancashire |
Profession | Prepress |
Graham Peter Jones (born 3 March 1966) is a British Labour Party politician, and former Member of Parliament (MP) for Hyndburn.[2][3]
Early life and education[]
Jones was brought up in Baxenden, attending St John's CofE Primary School, Baxenden, and St Christopher's Church of England High School, Accrington. He attended Accrington and Rossendale College, studying A levels. After three years at college, Jones was employed for Blackburn with Darwen Council on refuse collection, and by Lancashire County Council as a carer home assistant.
Jones attended the University of Central Lancashire, to study an BA (Hons) in Applied Social Studies. In 1989, he studied Graphic Design, and completed the City and Guilds qualification in Desktop Publishing, followed by employment at Holland's Pies.
Jones had periods of temporary and part time work for Lancashire County Council, as a community transport driver. This was before working in print prepress doing agency work, then being employed at the Manchester Evening News. Jones also taught prepress at evening classes at Preston College, later at Accrington and Rossendale College.
From 2001 until 7 May 2010, the day after the 2010 general election, Jones worked at Daltons Printers.
He is a relative of the former Labour Mayor, Kathleen Thom, who represented Clayton ward in the 1980s and 1990s, and a nephew by marriage to Len Dickenson, a former Mayor who represented Church ward for the Labour Party in the 1980s and 1990s.
Jones's father's family originate from the Mill Hill area of Blackburn, and his mother's family from Accrington. His grandfather worked at Howard and Bulloughs Cotton Mill, where he worked alongside Hyndburn Accrington Pals historian Walter Holmes. "I was on the next bench to Jones' grandfather, and we worked as pattern makers," he remarked.[4]
Jones's great grandfather lived on Grange Street, working as a livery driver at Accrington railway station. He had served in the Royal Ambulance Medical Corps during the World War I (Pvt Edwin Taylor RAMC 100489, 38 Grange Street). Jones' grandmother was a milliner who owned a hat shop, La Mode, in the 1960s and 1970s on Abbey Street, Accrington.[citation needed]
Local government career[]
In November 2001, he was one of two candidates, selected from four, to contest the safe Labour seat of Peel Ward on Hyndburn Council. He was re-elected in 2004, and again in 2008.
In May 2005, he was elected as the Opposition Leader on Hyndburn Borough Council, and remained as such until his resignation as an councillor from Hyndburn Council in May 2010, the seat being retained by Labour Councillor Wendy Dwyer, who had been Jones' predecessor in the Accrington South division on Lancashire County Council elections.[5][6]
In June 2009, he contested the Accrington South Division (Peel, Baxenden and Barnfield wards) for the County Council amidst the MP's expenses scandal. His majority was reduced from 17.6% to 17.1%, a majority of 469 votes turning it into one of Labour's safer seats.[7] Across Lancashire County, Labour were reduced from 44 seats to 16.[8]
In February 2010 The Blackburn Citizen reported that Jones had acted in "technical breach" of council rules, in discussing unadopted roads Annie Street, Hodder Street and Manor Street at meetings, whilst on one occasion failing to mention that he lived on Hodder Street. The Hyndburn Standards Committee concluded that Jones had not attempted to conceal his address from the council having declared it on other occasions.[9]
In July 2010, he was also involved in a dispute with rival councillor Peter Britcliffe, who implied that Jones had other undeclared property interests. This was by repeatedly shouting "two houses" at Jones during a council meeting. Britcliffe subsequently apologised after legal threats, acknowledging the second home referred to had belonged to a late relative of Jones, and was not his property.[10]
Parliamentary career[]
Hyndburn's Labour MP Greg Pope suddenly announced his intention to step down on 11 June 2009.[11] In November 2009, Jones was chosen as the candidate to succeed him by Labour;[12] he held the seat by a majority of 3,090 at the 2010 general election.
In October 2010, Jones was appointed to the Labour Whips office, following Ed Miliband becoming Labour leader. He was an assistant whip throughout the 2010–15 Parliament.[13] In November 2011, he introduced a private member's bill under the Ten Minute Rule, proposing licensing for scrap metal dealers in an attempt to cut down on metal theft.[14] In August 2013, he was reselected as the Labour candidate for the 2015 general election.
On 14 September 2015, Jones resigned from the front benches of Labour, following the election of Jeremy Corbyn in the leadership contest.[15] He said he could not serve under Mr Corbyn as he was from the "extreme left", and did not hold Labour's "true values". Jones was critical of Corbyn's policies on welfare, the economy and immigration, and believed Labour in opposition must be "more fiscally responsible".[16] He supported Owen Smith in the failed attempt to replace Jeremy Corbyn in the 2016 leadership election.[17]
By November 2017, Jones was Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Venezuela, and argued in favour of support for the opposition in Venezuela.[18]
He lost his seat at the general election of 2019, commenting afterwards that there were now "Too few white working class Labour MPs left – especially male."[19]
Personal life[]
Jones' partner is Kimberley Whitehead. He was previously married and has one son. He also has a daughter with Whitehead.[20]
He is a lifelong supporter of Blackburn Rovers, and attends games at Accrington Stanley.[20] The chairman of Accrington Stanley, Ilyas Khan, played an active role in supporting Jones' 2010 election campaign.[21]
References[]
- ^ "Who's Who". Ukwhoswho.com. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
- ^ "No. 59418". The London Gazette. 13 May 2010. p. 8743.
- ^ "Election 2010: Constituency: Hyndburn". BBC News. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
- ^ "Accrington Pals historian praised in Commons (From Lancashire Telegraph)". Lancashiretelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
- ^ "Wendy Dwyer wins Peel ward by-election". Accrington Observer. 6 July 2010. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
- ^ "Lancashire County Council: Elections". Lancashire.gov.uk. 5 May 2005. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
- ^ "Lancashire County Council: Elections". Lancashire.gov.uk. 4 June 2009. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
- ^ "Lancashire County Council: Elections". Lancashire.gov.uk. 4 June 2009. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
- ^ "Accrington councillor breached standards over pothole repairs". The Citizen. Newsquest Media Group. 27 January 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
- ^ Bell, Alex (16 July 2010). "Council leader says sorry over 'two houses' incident". Accrington Observer. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
- ^ "Greg Pope to step down as Hyndburn MP (From Lancashire Telegraph)". Lancashiretelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
- ^ "Hyndburn Labour successor to Greg Pope announced (From Lancashire Telegraph)". Lancashiretelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
- ^ "Graham Jones". UK Parliament. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
- ^ Cruces, Emma (15 November 2011). "Hyndburn MP Graham Jones introduces metal theft Bill". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
- ^ "Accrington MP resigns from the front benches saying Jeremy Corbyn 'does not hold true Labour Values'". accringtonobserver.co.uk. 14 September 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
- ^ "Labour MP says Corbyn critics receiving 'vile abuse'". BBC. 13 November 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
- ^ "Full list of MPs and MEPs backing challenger Owen Smith". LabourList. 21 July 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
- ^ "Graham Jones MP: We must do more to support Venezuela as it resists the grip of dictatorship". PoliticsHome. 13 November 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
- ^ @noneutactic (13 December 2019). "Graham Jones here descending into pure racism on losing his seat, absolutely good riddance to the bombfucking prick" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Dream result for Hyndburn Labour candidate". The Lancashire Telegraph. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
- ^ "Accrington Stanley chairman signs for Labour". The Citizen. Newsquest Media Group. 24 April 2010. Retrieved 24 April 2010.
External links[]
- Graham Jones blogspot[permanent dead link]
- Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom
- Contributions in Parliament at Hansard
- Voting record at Public Whip
- Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou
- 1966 births
- Living people
- Alumni of the University of Central Lancashire
- Labour Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
- Politics of Hyndburn
- UK MPs 2010–2015
- UK MPs 2015–2017
- UK MPs 2017–2019