I am delighted that my fellow Labour MEPs have re-elected me as their Deputy Leader. Only a write-in vote for "Ronnie Corbett" denied me a completely unanimous re-election. Evidently, I must be careful not to garner a reputation for long-winded, rambling speeches littered with weak jokes!

Leader Gary Titley was also re-elected by a large majority. We serve a term of office that lasts until the 2009 European elections.

Curiously, it means that each major UK political party has a Leader or Deputy Leader in the European Parliament from Yorkshire, with Timothy Kirkhope in charge of the Conservative MEPs and Diana Wallis of the Liberals.