Graham P Jones



Graham Peter Jones (born 3 March 1966) has been the current Member of Parliament (MP) for Hyndburn since 2010.

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 retained by Labour Councillor Wendy Dwyer, who had been Jones' predecessor in the Accrington South division on Lancashire County Council elections.

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. Across Lancashire County, Labour were reduced from 44 seats to 16.

Parliamentary career
Hyndburn MP Greg Pope suddenly announced his intention to step down on 11 June 2009. In November 2009, Jones was chosen as an candidate to succeed him by Labour, winning the seat by a majority of 4,400 at the 2010 General Election.

In October 2010, Jones was appointed to the Labour Whips office, following Edward Miliband becoming Labour leader. He was an assistant whip throughout the 2010–15 Parliament. In November 2011, he introduced an private member's bill under the Ten Minute Rule, proposing licensing for scrap metal dealers in an attempt to cut down on metal theft. In August 2013, he was reselected as the Labour candidate for the 2015 General Election.