Editing Colin Pickthall (section)

==Political career==
At the general election in [[1987 United Kingdom general election|June 1987]], Pickthall ran for Parliament in [[West Lancashire (UK Parliament constituency)|West Lancashire]], but lost to the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservatives]] by 1,353 votes. Later, in 1989, he won the seat of Ormskirk on [[Lancashire County Council]] by a very small margin. However, this was sufficient for the Labour Party to take control of the County Council by one seat. 
 
At the [[1992 United Kingdom general election|April 1992]] general election, he took the parliamentary seat of West Lancashire, and in the following elections, in [[1997 United Kingdom general election|May 1997]] and [[2001 United Kingdom general election|June 2001]], he retained the seat with a substantial majority. He became a member of the [[Select committee (United Kingdom)|Select committee]] on Agriculture in 1992, the post that he maintained until 1997. He was appointed [[parliamentary private secretary]] (PPS) to [[Alun Michael]] MP in 1997, later serving [[Jack Straw]] MP. 

He resigned as PPS in December 2000 in response to the police investigation into his election expenses.<ref>{{cite news|title=Straw aide stands down|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/6053112.straw-aide-stands/|publisher=www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk|date=18 December 2000|accessdate=12 September 2020}}</ref> He was reinstated shortly afterwards, in 2001, when the police investigation concluded there had been “no wrongdoing”.<ref>{{cite news| title=BBC Politics - Colin Pickthall|date=22 October 2002|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2118591.stm|accessdate=26 March 2008|work=BBC News|first=Labour|last=Mp}}</ref> He was transferred to the [[Foreign Office]] in 2001, where he continued as Straw's PPS.

He pledged his "continuing support" for [[Tony Blair]] in July 2004, remarking that his performance has been "psychologically remarkable".<ref>{{cite news|title=Outgoing MP still backing Blair|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/3903067.stm|publisher=news.bbc.co.uk|date=17 July 2004|accessdate=12 September 2020}}</ref>

Pickthall is considered a leftist, frequently campaigning on [[animal welfare]] and environmental issues. He is opposed to [[hare coursing]], as the [[Waterloo Cup]] took place at [[Great Altcar]], in his constituency, and [[fox hunting|hunting]]. His support for the [[Hunting Act 2004|hunting ban]] led to pro-hunt supporters leaving a dead fox on his doorstep in February 2005.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bad Blood|work=Skelmersdale Advertiser|date=24 February 2005|url=http://icseftonandwestlancs.icnetwork.co.uk/icskelmersdale/news/tm_objectid=15225729|accessdate=26 March 2008}}</ref> He retired from the [[House of Commons]] at the general election of [[2005 United Kingdom general election|May 2005]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Labour MPs call time on Commons|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/england/4374851.stm|publisher=news.bbc.co.uk|date=5 April 2005|accessdate=12 September 2020}}</ref>

Pickthall is a supporter of [[Humanists UK]].