Graduating in Philosophy at the University of Manchester Phil became President of the National Union of Students in 1984. He briefly worked for George Galloway at War on Want before joining Television South. He joined the BBC Newsnight team in 1988 and Channel Four News in 1990. Phil is an accredited TV Director.

Phil then entered full-time politics as the Head of Communications and Campaigns for the GMB general trade union. In 1997, Phil was elected as Labour MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth. He joined the Tony Blair Government in 1999. In 2005, he was promoted to Minister of State for Local Government. Under Gordon Brown he became Minister of State for Environment and was then promoted to be Minister of State for Immigration, one of the highest profile and most difficult jobs in Government.

He left the Government in May 2010 following the election of the new Conservative Coalition Government. Phil’s election result in 2010 was successfully challenged in a controversial judgement of the election Court and Phil left Parliament.

In 2011, along with former Liberal Democrat MP Paul Keetch and former Conservative MP Sir Sydney Chapman, Phil founded the political consultancy, Wellington Street Partners.

Phil has extensive experience of industry, public policy, domestic and international politics, the media, Government and Parliament and communications.