Party:
Labour

Constituency:
Medway

Date of birth:
10 April 1944<

Telephone:
020 7219 3000

Address:
The House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

Political profile:
Robert Marshall-Andrews was first elected to the Commons in 1997 but could not be more different from the bulk of the New Labour enthusiasts who characterised the landslide intake.

A highly qualified (and still practising) QC and Recorder, he has never been afraid of defying the party whips.

He has accused the Labour leadership of 'contempt for Parliament, contempt for party and contempt for the old tedious debating institutions on which democracy ultimately rests'.

A powerful speaker, he has been the ringleader of many of Labour's biggest rebellions, especially those involving legal matters.

Mr Marshall-Andrews galvanised backbench opposition to the bill restricting jury trial and ridiculed the Lord Chancellor's reforms to legal aid.

He was also one of the fiercest critics of the Millennium Dome, long before it was built.

The Medway MP is also strongly interested in constitutional matters, and supports the total abolition of the House of Lords and the monarchy in favour of a single legislative chamber.

TOP THREE PARTIES AT A GLANCE
Labour		49%
Conservative		39.2%
Liberal Democrat		9.3%

IN DETAIL
Name	Party	Votes	%
Bob Marshall-Andrews	Labour	18,914	49
Mark Reckless	Conservative	15,134	39.2
Geoffrey Juby	Liberal Democrat	3,604	9.3
Nicole Sinclaire	UK Independence Party	958	2.5
Majority		3,780
Turnout		59.5%

POLITICAL MAKE UP OF SOUTH EAST