I have been the Labour MP for Oldham West and Royton since 1970.
I was a junior minister under Harold Wilson and James Callaghan (Under-Secretary for Industry, 1974-5 and Under-Secretary for Health and Social Security, 1975-9).
Despite having been a member of the Shadow Cabinet from 1983 to 1997, Anthony Blair did not appoint me to Cabinet.
I was made Minister of State for the Environment instead, first at the Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions (1997-2001), then at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (2001-3).
I was sacked in June 2003.
Since then, I have continued to be a Labour MP.
I formally launched my bid to be Labour leader on 22nd February 2007.
You can contact me here:
House of Commons Telephone: +44 20 7219 4532/6461 House of Commons Fax: +44 20 7219 5945 Constituency Telephone: +44 161 626 5779 Constituency Fax: +44 161 626 8572 Email: massonm@parliament.uk