Alan Whitehead

Alan Patrick Vincent Whitehead CBE (born 15 September 1950) is a British Labour Party politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Southampton Test from 1997 to 2024.

[12] Whitehead's Private Members Bill was 'talked out' by Conservative backbenchers in 2005, but many of its most important aspects were incorporated into the Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Act 2006, sponsored by fellow Labour MP Mark Lazarowicz.

[13] In June 2006, the UK Parliamentary Football Team ran a charity match in Portugal against the Portuguese Parliament, which coincided with part of the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

[15] He also pointed out the trip was part of a long-standing fundraising campaign between the UKPFC and McDonald's that raised over 20,000 euros for local charities.

[20] The proposal was considered as part of the government's current review of the private housing sector, to report in October 2008.

His rebellion was put down to the fact that he was a historical supporter of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, having paid a subscription to Southampton CND in 1982.

[23][24] Whitehead is an outspoken supporter of action on anthropogenic climate change, and in September 2013 called debate by members of parliament who reject the scientific view a "flat earth love-in".

[29] Whitehead was one of the 52 Labour MPs who defied Jeremy Corbyn and in February 2017 voted against triggering Article 50.

[30] He claimed that triggering Article 50 without clarity on what would be done was not in the UK's best interest, and he was not prepared to stand by and allow the country to go down what he regarded as a potentially very dangerous path.