He has been a teacher, run his own business and managed businesses for others.  He is currently an associate lecturer at Bradford University and is working towards a PhD.  As a councillor he led Calderdale MBC from 1986-8 and is currently a member of the Council's cabinet with a portfolio in Health and Social Care.

He previously fought Rossendale and Darwen (1983) and Pontefract (1987).

Manifesto

The current Labour Government has failed to deliver on a wide range of important issues. I am fighting this election on the twin pillars of radicalism and sustainability. Radicalism means getting to the root of things. Sustainability embraces responsibility for current and future generations I have laid out in my election address the wide range of radical initiatives that the Liberal democrats will support. I wanted to stress the policies that I believe will make the difference:

• A regional assemby for Yorkshire to take government out of London.
• Halting and reversing the creeping centralism of this government. Giving increased responsibility to Local Councils for their own affairs and finance.
• A public transport system run as a public service, with priorities determined locally, not run for the benefit of shareholders.
• 'Joined up thinking' in relation to the environment, which encompasses transport, working patterns and location, food sourcing, energy usage, and lifestyles.
• A compassionate and pragmatic attitude to overseas development, which recognises that sustainable development overseas will lessen economic and environmental migration.
• Implementing international protocols that are helpful, such as Kyoto on fossil fuel use. Forcefully resisting protocols like the World Trade Organisation proposals, which damage local control of public services.
• Standing up for traditional Liberal Democratic values such as tolerance, equality and anti-racism
• Arguing the case for electoral reform in a sensible way
• Supporting disarmament and tackling the arms trade. Total opposition to the NMD "Star Wars" programme.
• Fighting for Calder Valley's rightful share of government and EU grants (compare us with surrounding areas which ALL get millions of pounds to rebuild their economies, shattered under the Tory government.)