John Grogan has been Member of Parliament for Selby constituency since May 1997, when he was elected as the first ever Labour MP to represent the seat. He has a home in Fulford, in the northern part of the constituency.

Born in Halifax, John studied at St Michael's School in Leeds before obtaining a place at St John's College, Oxford in 1979 to read for a degree in History and Economics. He graduated three years later and went on to spend a year as the first ever Labour President of the Oxford Student Union.

After leaving University John worked at Wolverhampton Council and then in 1987 moved to Leeds, where he worked as Communications Co-ordinator at the City Council until 1994. He then took up the offer of a job working for a year as the Press Officer for the Labour Party in the European Parliament in Brussels, before going on to run a small business arranging conferences and events.

John first stood for the seat at the 1987 General Election when aged just 25, and again in the 1992 General Election. Although at each election he was unsuccessful, he reduced the Conservative majority on each occasion. You can find the results of all the elections that John has fought in Selby by clicking here.

He considers some of his most significant achievements since being elected in 1997 as Member of Parliament for Selby to include:

• Obtaining nearly £100 million to prolong the life of the Selby Coalfield and fund the work of the Selby Taskforce which retrained and found work for hundreds of miners when the Coalfield closed.
  
• Helping local growers keep open the Stockbridge House horticultural research centre near Cawood.
  
• Obtaining the go-ahead for the Selby Bypass, the A1 Ferrybridge/Hook Moor link and closing the gaps on the A64 at Bilbrough Top.
  
• The successful campaign to ensure sustained year on year increases in flood defence expenditure throughout Yorkshire and the Humber.
  
• The return of community policing to Selby and York, and the retention of Selby Magistrates Court.
  
• Helping to persuade the Government to reform the liquor licensing laws (which take effect late in 2005) but also to crack down on disorder caused by binge drinking.
• Helping to ensure that major sporting events like the 2004 Olympics and the 2006 World Cup are shown on terrestrial television, through the Listed Events regulations.
  
• Working with Lord Puttnam on the Joint Committee studying the Draft Communication Bill to make it more difficult for Rupert Murdoch to take over terrestrial TV stations and helping to maintain plurality and diversity in the media.
  

You can find out more about John's current campaigns by clicking here to see the latest local, regional and national press coverage.

Aside from representing the views of his constituents in Parliament, John holds the following positions:
-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary BBC Group
-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group
-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Mongolia Group
-Secretary of the All Party Parliamentary Coalfield Communities Group
-Secretary of the All Party Parliamentary Flood Prevention Group
-Treasurer of the All Party Parliamentary University Group
-Member of the House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee

In his spare time, John enjoys running and playing 5 a side football. He is a member of Yorkshire County Cricket Club and is a Bradford City fan.