Welcome to My Website

 I believe passionately in the power of politics to change the lives of individuals - and of a nation - for the better.

On the other hand, I know that policies and decisions can wreck people's lives -

that's why I have been active throughout my life - as a political activist - and as an educator. Since I was 14 years of age I have been involved with the Labour Party - and its efforts to improve the lives of our fellow citizens. In the mid 1990s I was a County Councillor in Northamptonshire. I have stood for the Westminster Parliament in 2001 and 2005 in Blaby constituency, south Leicestershire - and for the European Parliament on the East Midlands Labour list in 2009. Professionally, I have worked for an MEP (Sue Waddington); an MP (Sir Peter Soulsby) and for two Labour Peers (Lord Bach and Lord Hunt of Kings Heath). As an academic I have researched the scrutiny role of Select Committees and the work of whips in the UK Parliament and US Congress. I teach on three of the Law courses for the Open University, and have taught law and politics to students at A-Level, Bachelors Degree and Masters Degree levels. My blog "Washminster" deals with practice and procedure in the UK Parliament; US Congress; European Parliament and French Parlement. It is designed for students and anyone interested in the work of these democratic institutions.

Born in Coventry, I grew up in Aldridge, Walsall. After completing my Law Degree in Sheffield, I married & moved to Northampton - where my two children were born and grew up. We spent seven years in Rugby, then moved to Milton Keynes.

I tweet - as jdm_progressive and provide a news retweeting service (to complement Washminster) as WM_Alert. My Facebook name is "jdavidmorgan"