14 Facts About James Plaskitt

James Andrew Plaskitt was born on 23 June 1954 and is a British Labour Party politician who was the member of parliament for Warwick and Leamington from 1997 until his defeat at the 2010 general election.

James Plaskitt graduated in 1976 and subsequently took a MPhil in Politics before taking up a lectureship at University College until 1979.

James Plaskitt moved to Brunel University for four years as a lecturer in Government and then to Christ Church, Oxford from 1984 to 1986 as a lecturer.

James Plaskitt was leader of the Labour group from 1990 to 1996.

James Plaskitt served on the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee from 1999, and in the 2001 general election was re-elected with an increased margin, although on a lower turnout.

James Plaskitt is a strong supporter of reforming the law on assisted dying, tackling child poverty and expanding further education.

James Plaskitt spoke out against Israel's actions in Gaza and called for urgent reform of international banking regulation.

James Plaskitt tended to vote with the government on major issues such as university tuition fees and foundation hospitals.

James Plaskitt made clear that he would only ever support increases in university tuition fees which were matched by increases in Government grants for less well-off students, and he played a leading role in supporting Warwick Hospital's application for Trust status.

James Plaskitt is notable among Labour MPs in that he did not vote for the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

James Plaskitt left the Gordon Brown Government by mutual agreement in October 2008, and was re-appointed to the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee in July 2009.

James Plaskitt was one of 98 MPs who voted against the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act concerning MPs' addresses applying to Members of Parliament.

James Plaskitt's face was used as the model for the character of Colonel George Blake in the 2001 computer game Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis.

In 2012 James Plaskitt was selected as the Labour candidate for the Police and Crime Commissioner election for the Warwickshire Police.