Graham Jones (politician)

Graham Peter Jones^[2] (born 3 March 1966) is a British Labour Party politician and the current Member of Parliament (MP) for Hyndburn^[3]

Early life and education

Mr Jones was brought up in Baxenden attending St John's CofE Primary School, Baxenden and later St Christopher's CofE High School, Accrington. He attended Accrington & Rossendale College studying 'A' Levels. After 3 years at college Mr Jones was employed for Blackburn with Darwen Council working in the parks department in summer and on refuse collection in winter. He was then employed by Lancashire County Council at Whinberry View Care Home for the Elderly, Rawtenstall as a carer.

Mr Jones attended the University of Central Lancashire to study a BA (Hons) in Applied Social Studies. in 1989 he studied Graphic Design and completed the City and Guilds qualification in Desktop Publishing. Periods of temporary and part-time work followed for Lancashire County Council as meals on wheels driver in Burnley, community transport driver across East Lancashire with periods of unemployment. Mr Jones applied successfully for work with a graphic design and prepress agency in Manchester working throughout the North West before going on to work for MEN media in Rochdale on their newsprint publications. In 2000 Mr Jones began working for Daltons, a local printers on Oxford Street Accrington where he worked up until the day after the 2010 General Election.

A relative of the former Labour Mayor, Kathleen Thom who represented Clayton Ward in the 80's and 90's and nephew by marriage to Len Dickenson, a former Mayor who represented Church Ward for the Labour Party in the 80's and 90's. Mr Jones' father's family come 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 Mr Jones’ grandfather, and we worked as pattern makers." Lancashire Telegraph. His 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 1. Mr Jones' grandmother was a milliner who owned a hat shop, 'La Mode' in the 60's and 70's on Abbey Street in Accrington.

As a councilor

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 successfully re-elected in 2004 and again in 2008.

In 2006 he was elected as the Opposition Leader on Hyndburn Borough Council and remained as such until his resignation from the Council in May 2010, the seat retained by Labour Councillor Wendy Dwyer whom had been Mr Jones' predecessor in the Accrington South division on Lancashire County Council elections. He was succeeded as Labour Group Leader by Miles Parkinson in 2010.

As a county councilor

In the 2005 Accrington South electoral Division for Lancashire County Council elections was declared an All Women Shortlist along with the two other Accrington seats and Oswaldtwistle. In 2009 Mr Jones was selected to contest the Accrington South Division (Peel, Baxenden and Barnfield wards) 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. Across Lancashire County, Labour were reduced from 44 seats to 16.

2010 Election campaign

Mr Jones predecessor Greg Pope suddenly announced his retirement on the 11 June 2009. Almost immediately the Conservative leader of Hyndburn Council who had fought and lost both the 1997 and 2001 General Elections for the Conservatives announced he would be putting his name forward to be the Conservative candidate. Mr Jones and Mr Britcliffe being frequent political adversaries in Hyndburn. The Hyndburn Labour Party lobbied Labours NEC for an open selection. 29 candidates nominated themselves for the selection with Mr Jones winning the final nomination from a shortlist of six, winning in the first round of balloting on the 19 November 2009 in the upstairs hall at Accrington library.

Mr Jones led a serious of campaigns against Council waste, most notably exposing the fact that Hyndburn Council had wasted almost £600,000 on a new website www.hyndburnlife.co.uk which was subsequently abandoned after just 6 months. Mr Jones had also called for a police investigation following a long running complaint by a resident to examine whether funds claimed for the refurbishment of the coach house, in Oakhill Park, were defrauded from their insurance company. In a letter, Hyndburn Council Managing Director told how two tenders were received to repair fire damage in 2004. The lowest tender was accepted by the council, but the higher quotation was used for the insurance claim. Council bosses said this was a mistake and that the money had been paid back. The police said that no criminal offence had taken place.

In February 2010 the Blackburn Citizen reported that Councilor Jones was in "technical breach" of rules when the issue of unadopted roads Annie Street, Hodder Street and Manor Street came up at neighbourhood meetings following complaints by residents and Mr Jones failed on one occasion to mention that he lived on Hodder Street. Although £2,000 was spent in restorative work on the roads, the local council committee decided that Jones had not attempted to conceal his address from the council having declared it on other occasions. The committee concluded “on the balance of probability” that Coun Jones had not declared an interest, but had done so at the next meeting in February. After the decision, Jones said, "I feel completely vindicated because it was a simple error in the minutes which turned into a witch hunt."^[4]

In February 2007 Mr Britcliffe had been forced to apologise and pay damages to his Labour counterpart for a breach of copyright over an election leaflet and in the run in to the 2010 General Election, The Accrington Observer printed a letter written by Conservative councillor Marlene Haworth accusing him of having two homes following the death of Mr Jones' grandmother.

Mr Jones initiated proceedings against both for defamation and received an apology from Conservative Council leader Peter Britcliffe in July over the false accusation 'that Mr Jones had two homes' after he had repeatedly shouted ‘two houses’ at him at a Council meeting.

His election campaign was supported by the chairman of Accrington Stanley F.C., Ilyas Khan, who was seen out canvassing alongside Mr Jones. This created some controversy with Mr Jones main political rival 'Hyndburn Council’s Tory leader Coun Peter Britcliffe saying 'he was surprised the football club’s famous name had been used ... supporting one of the General Election candidates'. Khan was said to be supporting Jones as an individual and not as the football club and yet his role as Chairman of Accrington Stanley was mentioned on Jones's promotional leaflets.^[5]

HIs main rival Conservative Councillor Karen Buckely was selected after delays and resignations on March 13 for the Conservatives after internal divisions led to 'regional Tory staff (taking) over management of the local association, stripping Hyndburn Conservatives of their power' which delayed the selection of Mr Jones' principle opponent. Chairman Brian Roberts and his two deputies Marlene Haworth and Peter Clarke have both resigned over the row and in a joint statement the trio said the list of candidates from central office "did not have enough local content". 'A section of the local association wanted to see Hyndburn council leader Peter Britcliffe – who had been rejected from the approved list after an interview – put forward.'^[6]

After his election Mr Jones pledged to fight for the people of Hyndburn and said, “Last week I was clocking on as a factory worker and I will soon be heading to Westminster. It’s a dream.”^[7] Mr Jones also stated he would remain a Councillor on Lancashire County Council until his term of office finished in 2013.

As MP

Mr Jones was appointed to the Labour Whips office following Ed Miliband becoming Labour leader in October 2010 and remains in the whips office (Dec 2013).

Personal life

Mr Jones partner is Kimberley Whitehead. He was previously married to Paula née Courtney and has one son. He also has a daughter with Miss Whitehead.^[7]

He is a lifelong supporter of Blackburn Rovers and attends games at Accrington Stanley.^[7]

References

External links

• Graham Jones blogspot