Labour MP David Taylor dies following heart attack

Parliamentary career

He was first selected for his seat in 1989 and contested it in 1992.

Taylor's views were on the left of the Labour Party and he is widely regarded as one of the parliamentary rebels and has rebelled on 7.2% of votes since June 2001.[3] In 2005, he was nominated for the 'Backbencher of the Year' award.

He regularly attended local events, often making it to more than one function in an evening in order not only to be seen there, but to show his support and to maintain his high profile as a local MP. As Chair of the All-Party Group on Smoking and Health, he was been particularly active on the issue of tobacco control and a Member of the Chairmen's Panel Committee and a Memberof the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee.

David Taylor described it as "a real privilege" to win the title of Commons Backbencher of the Year 2007 in the Annual Awards organised by Sky TV and The House Magazine and decided by a ballot of all 646 MPs. His citation described him as "an indefatigable campaigner, constant attender and independent–minded".

In April 2009, David Taylor was named by The Sunday Telegraph as being in the Top Ten of MPs for providing their constituents with best value for the money they spend in providing a service. The newspaper had produced a value for money league table to show both the best – those who work the hardest for the lowest unit cost – and the worst – those who have the lowest Commons work rates while having the largest expenditure – of Westminster MPs. David Taylor came equal 7th out of 592* in the table of ‘best value’ MPs. David Taylor spent £154,277 in 2007/8 (75% of which on staff and office) during which time he had an attendance rate in the House of 87%, spoke in 225 debates and tabled 197 written questions.
[edit] Expenses

Prior to this, he opened his complete 'unredacted' expenses file to local newspaper the Leicester Mercury.[4]

Following the new emergency interim rules announced on 19 May 2009 by the Speaker which say that furniture should be no longer be claimed for, David Taylor voluntarily elected to apply those new rules retrospectively in his own case for the life of this Parliament and has since made a refund based on the full funded purchase price of all such items.
[edit] Gay Rights Record

David Taylor abstained in all five Commons votes on reducing the age of homosexual consent to sixteen.[5][6][7][8][9]

He opposed other gay rights measures, including the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007.[10]

He did, however, support the repeal of Section 28[11][12], as well as measures to tackle homophobic bullying in schools.[13]

He supported the Civil Partnership Act 2004.[14]
[edit] Standing Down

At the May 2008 meeting of his Constituency Labour Party, Taylor announced he would not be standing for re-election at the next general election. Taylor died at the end of 2009, before the general election. The 2010 North West Leiecestershire by-election is now due to take place in early 2010 following Taylor's death.