House of Commons Articles

It was my fellow Welsh Labour member of parliament Kevin Brennan who first told me that I had been drawn in the ballot to put forward a private members’ bill. I was delighted. But when one of your predecessors is renowned backbench legislator Leo Abse, you know that...

Labour’s historic breakthrough in African-Caribbean representation came 1987 with the election of Bernie Grant, Diane Abbott, Paul Boateng and Keith Vaz. Along with 23 African-Caribbean and Asian colleagues I was elected as member of parliament for Brent Central in...

There is a reasonably unusual parliamentary event today for those interested in intelligence and surveillance. In keeping with the subject matter it will be laced with a healthy dose of paranoia and conspiracy theory, I suspect. Shadow leader of the house, Chris...

The reward for the victors of the 2010 general election was paid in a devalued currency. The status of the job of a member of parliament had been stripped of its high prestige by the expenses scandal. The default press and public image was one of ridicule and...