Kelvin Hopkins - Political Career

Political Career

Hopkins was a councillor on Luton Borough Council for four years from 1972. He unsuccessfully contested Luton North at the 1983 General Election finishing in second place some 11,981 votes behind the sitting Conservative MP John Carlisle. He was elected to the House of Commons at the 1997 General Election for Luton North with a majority of 9,626 (taking it from the Conservatives, with over half of the total votes) and has remained the MP there since. He made his maiden speech on 28 November 1997.

In parliament he was a member of the broadcasting select committee for two years from 1999, and has served on the Public Administration Select Committee since 2002. He has also served as an adviser to the Minister of Sport Richard Caborn on yachting since 2002. He is a member of many all-party groups and is the chairman of the group on further education and lifelong learning; he serves as the vice chairman on the groups on jazz appreciation; historic vehicles; Norway; constitution and citizenship; transport infrastructure and trans-European networks; he also serves as the treasurer to the group on building societies and financial mutuals. He is on the left wing of the party, being a member of the Socialist Campaign Group.

In the fiscal year of 2007-08, total expenses claims amounted to £121,809, of which second home allowance was £1,242. He also emerged well from the 2009 MPs expenses scandal, being deemed a Daily Telegraph "saint" for minimal second home claims.
In June, 2010, he was selected as a Labour member of the Transport Select Committee.

Hopkins has signed the People's Pledge a newly created cross party campaign for an EU referendum and is a member of its Advisory Council.

He is a supporter of homeopathy, having signed an early day motion in support of its continued funding on the National Health Service.