John McFall

Labour MP Dumbarton

Date of birth

4 October 1944

Political profile

One of Labour's high-fliers in opposition, John McFall's ministerial career was less spectacular than anticipated.

Having been a frontbench spokesman on Scotland helping to develop devolution policies, he became a government whip when Labour entered power.

He was then sent to become Northern Ireland's health minister, before leaving the government altogether in 1999.

After the 2001 election he secured the influential job of chair of the Treasury select committee.

He is on the left of Labour's mainstream; he resigned from his first stint in the Labour whips' office in 1991 in protest at Labour's support for the Gulf War.

He also made an early attempt, in 1995, to introduce a ban on fox hunting through a private members' bill.

He is an opponent of abortion, and supports further curbs on its provision.

Contact

Constituency office: 01389 734214

[e-mail]