Graham Peter Jones (born 3 March 1966) is a former British Labour Party politician who was Member of Parliament (MP) for Hyndburn from 2010 until 2019.
Jones attended the University of Central Lancashire in 1989, to study a BA in Graphic Design, and as well as completing a City and Guilds qualification in Desktop Publishing, followed by employment at Holland's Pies.
In November 2001, he was one of two candidates, selected from four, to contest the safe Labour seat of Peel Ward on Hyndburn Council.
[5][6] In June 2009, he contested the Accrington South Division (Peel, Baxenden and Barnfield wards) for the County Council amidst the MP's expenses scandal.
The Hyndburn Standards Committee concluded that Jones had not attempted to conceal his address from the council, having declared it on other occasions.
Britcliffe subsequently apologised after legal threats, acknowledging that the second home belonged to a late relative of Jones and was not his property.
[11] In November 2009, Jones was chosen as the candidate to succeed him by Labour;[12] he held the seat by a majority of 3,090 at the 2010 general election.
Jones was critical of Corbyn's policies on welfare, the economy and immigration, and believed Labour in opposition must be "more fiscally responsible".
[16] Jones was a leading member of the successful campaign to reduce maximum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) from £100 to £2.
Described by Labour List as "a stunning victory for those who have led a five-year long campaign to reduce the impact that FOBTs, the “crack cocaine of gambling”, can have on communities, families and individual gamblers.
[22] He called for travelling scrap metal dealers to be legally required to carry clearly visible identification signs on their vehicles including a contact number.
[24] Jones also established the All Party Parliamentary Group, Transport Across the North, a dedicated cross-party forum to promote discussion and investment in all modes of transport across the North of England and to provide better opportunities for MPs representing Northern constituencies to meet with senior officials and receive relevant briefings.
Jones was a strong advocate for increased defence spending[29] and for defending Eastern Europe and the Caucasus against threats from Russia.