About John Battle
I have been Member of Parliament for Leeds West since 1987.
I was appointed as a Minister of State at the Department of Trade and Industry following Labour's 1997 election victory, and from 1999 to 2001 was Minister of State at the Foreign Office.
From 2001-2007 I was the Prime Minister's Envoy to the Faith Communities as well as a Member of the International Development Select Committee.
I am Chair of All-Party Parliamentary Groups on Poverty and on Overseas Development.
Before becoming an MP, I was National Coordinator for Church Action on Poverty from 1983.