to become a European Commissioner), seventy one days before polling day itself. His first act as an MP was to actively campaign for the proposed North East Regional Assembly, in the referendum held in November 2004. The proposal for an assembly was rejected by 78% to 22%. Wright was re elected at the 2005 General Election, with an increased majority of 7,478 votes. In June 2005, he was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Health Minister Rosie Winterton, a role he resigned from on 7 September 2006. In 2006, he became Chairman of Labour Friends of Israel. He returned to Government in July 2007, as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Communities and Local Government, before moving to the Department for Children, Schools and Families in the Cabinet reshuffle of June 2009. In May 2009, during the MP's expenses row, Wright and fellow Labour MP Tom Watson were criticised by the Daily Telegraph for "lavishing" £100,000 on a "shared Central London crash pad". Wright and Watson claimed the legal fees for buying the property and the following year claimed £1,431.46 legal fees for buying the freehold, which significantly enhanced the property value. Rules at the time did not require them to reimburse any profits made on the sale of the property. In response, Wright said "As a new MP, I purchased furniture and electrical equipment once I was in the process of purchasing a half share of a small two bedroom flat in London." His expenses for 2008 to 2009 were £136,725 and ranked 489 out of 647 MPs. The Legg Report stated that he was reimbursed £805.97 for an extra month mortgage interest during 2006 to 2007, which he subsequently repaid. At the 2015 General Election, Wright's majority was cut to 3,024 votes by UKIP candidate Phillip Broughton. On 19 June 2015, he was announced as having been elected to the chairmanship of the Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee. He supported Owen Smith in the 2016 Labour Party (UK) leadership election. On 19 April 2017, he announced his intention not to stand for re election at the snap election, scheduled for Thursday 8 June 2017. Charity work Wright completed the 2011 Great North Run in aid of the Stroke Association. He joined his son Benjamin, 17, on the half marathon. The pair ran in aid of the Stroke Association, a cause which has been close to