Stephen Hughes MEP is the Labour Member of the European Parliament for the North East of England.

Stephen Skipsey Hughes was born in Sunderland on 19th August 1952 but was raised in Haswell Plough, County Durham. His father is a former miner and his mother is a homemaker. He was educated at St Leonard's in Durham City and St Bede's in Lanchester in North West Durham. He attended Leeds University and Newcastle Polytechnic where he was awarded the Diploma in Municipal Administration (DMA). Before being elected to the European Parliament he was a local government officer.

Stephen Hughes is a member of the GMB union and has, in the past, served as both Constituency Secretary and Election Agent on behalf of the Labour Party.

Stephen Hughes is married and lives in Darlington. He is the father of Gareth, Victoria, Elizabeth, Amelia and James.

For more information on Stephen Hughes MEP visit http://www.stephenhughesmep.org/

Brian Simpson MEP is Labour Member of Parliament for the North West of England. Brian has responsibility for the Cumbria area and works closely with the rest of the Labour Team of MEPs in the North West, Gary Titley MEP and Arlene McCarthy MEP.

Brian was a Member of the European Parliament since 1989, but lost his seat in the 2004 Elections only to be returned to the European Parliament in September 2006.

From 1989 to 2004 he held the position as Socialist Group Spokesperson on Transport and Tourism and was a member of the Transport & Tourism Committee, Regional Policy, Youth, Culture and Sport Committee, Agriculture and Rural Development Committee and Environment and Public Health and Consumer Affairs Committee.

Vice President of the Committee for relations with Yugoslavia. President of the Committee for relations with Switzerland, Norway and Iceland. Secretary of the European Parliament Rugby League Support Group. European Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister.

Before becoming a Member of the European Parliament, Brian was a Teacher.

He was also a County Councillor for Merseyside County Council, a Member of the Merseyside Police Authority and Deputy Chair of Liverpool Airport. Councillor at Warrington Borough Council, where he was Deputy Chair of Finance and Chair of Performance and Policy Review.

Married with three children and has special interests in all sport, particularly Rugby League, Cricket and Football. Heritage Railways and History, but in particular Military History and Transportation.

For more information about Brian visit his website