7 0 , ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁a ▁tele phone ▁engineer ▁father ▁and ▁reception ist ▁mother . ▁He ▁was ▁brought ▁up ▁in ▁C ul ch eth , ▁W arr ington , ▁Ch esh ire ▁and ▁educated ▁at ▁St ▁Lewis ▁Catholic ▁Primary ▁School , ▁C ul ch eth ▁and ▁St ▁A el red ' s ▁Roman ▁Catholic ▁High ▁School , ▁Newton - le - Will ows , ▁Mer se ys ide . ▁He ▁studied ▁English ▁at ▁Fitz will iam ▁College , ▁Cambridge . ▁ ▁Early ▁political ▁career ▁Burn ham ▁joined ▁the ▁Labour ▁Party ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁ 1 4 . ▁From ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁until ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁general ▁election ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁research er ▁for ▁T essa ▁J ow ell . ▁He ▁joined ▁the ▁Transport ▁and ▁General ▁Work ers ' ▁Union ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 . ▁After ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁election , ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁parliament ary ▁officer ▁for ▁the ▁N HS ▁Confeder ation ▁from ▁August ▁to ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁before ▁taking ▁up ▁the ▁post ▁as ▁an ▁administrator ▁with ▁the ▁Football ▁Task ▁Force ▁for ▁a ▁year . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁special ▁advis er ▁to ▁the ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁Culture , ▁Media ▁and ▁Sport , ▁Chris ▁Smith , ▁a ▁position ▁he ▁remained ▁in ▁until ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Commons ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁ ▁Member ▁of ▁Parliament ▁After ▁the ▁ret