26 Facts About Phil Woolas

Philip James Woolas was born on 11 December 1959 and is a British environmental consultant, political lobbyist and former television producer and politician who served as Minister of State for Borders and Immigration from 2008 to 2010.

Phil Woolas was suspended from the Labour Party until January 2011, when his suspension was lifted.

Phil Woolas was born in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, on 11 December 1959.

Phil Woolas received a BA in philosophy from the Victoria University of Manchester.

Phil Woolas joined the Labour Party at the age of 16, and became involved in student politics through the Anti-Nazi League.

Phil Woolas first won his seat for Labour in the 1997 general election, having contested the predecessor Littleborough and Saddleworth seat at a by-election in 1995, which was marked by Labour's particularly vicious and personal campaign, attacking the Liberal Democrat candidate, Chris Davies, as "high on tax and soft on drugs".

In 1999, Phil Woolas became parliamentary private secretary to Lord Macdonald of Tradeston, a Transport Minister, and was made a whip in 2001.

Between the same reshuffle and June 2007, Phil Woolas was Minister of State for Local Government at the Deputy Prime Minister's Office and then the Department for Communities and Local Government, the 2006 successor to the DPMO.

Phil Woolas had responsibility for climate change, energy and sustainable development.

In October 2006, Phil Woolas was involved in the United Kingdom debate over veils, particularly the case of Aishah Azmi, a Muslim teaching assistant who wore an Islamic veil in class.

Phil Woolas said the items were on a receipt he submitted under food claims, but were not claimed themselves, and threatened a newspaper with legal action.

In November 2008, Phil Woolas attacked lawyers and charities working on behalf of asylum seekers, accusing them of undermining the law and "playing the system" by taking legal action.

In February 2010, following the accusations of bullying made against Gordon Brown and other members of the UK cabinet, Phil Woolas was quoted as referring to the head of the National Bullying Helpline, Christine Pratt, as "this prat of a woman" in a radio interview.

In spring 2009, Phil Woolas was involved in a controversy regarding the rights for Gurkhas to settle in the United Kingdom.

On 24 April 2009, Phil Woolas proposed a new settlement for Gurkhas who were discharged before 1997.

Phil Woolas was later confronted at the BBC Westminster studios by the actress Joanna Lumley, the face of the Gurkha Justice Campaign.

Phil Woolas was re-elected in the 2010 general election, although the result would later be overturned by an election court.

Phil Woolas gave his backing to close political ally David Miliband in the Labour leadership election and represented him at events throughout the country.

However, Phil Woolas officially nominated Diane Abbott, at the request of Miliband.

The New Statesman said it was a "bizarre decision" as Phil Woolas had "run one of the most disgraceful election campaigns in recent history".

Watkins claimed that leaflets issued by Phil Woolas falsely portrayed Watkins as taking unlawful foreign donations, and linked him to Islamist extremists.

On 5 November 2010, the court ruled that Phil Woolas breached section 106 of the Representation of the People Act 1983, and ordered a fresh election for the seat to be held.

Phil Woolas applied for a judicial review into the ruling, but as the Labour Party withdrew its support he had to finance it himself, and he started to ask for donations.

Phil Woolas launched a second judicial review, technically a renewed application for permission to seek judicial review, and was heard in person at the High Court on 16 November 2010.

Phil Woolas was accompanied to court by the Labour Shadow Health Secretary John Healey.

Phil Woolas is married to events organiser and ex-lobbyist Tracey Jane Allen, former co-director of lobbying firm Morgan Allen Moore.