Mike Kane was first elected as the Labour MP for Wythenshawe & Sale East in a 2014 by-election, being reelected in 2019 with a majority of 10,396.
Wythenshawe and Sale East is found to the South of Greater Manchester conurbation and contains Manchester Airport. A varied seat it includes the more leafy commuter district of Sale and the large Wythenshawe council estate. It has long been a safe Labour seat.
Kane was appointed Shadow Minister for Aviation and Marine in 2020.
Prior to this he served as Shadow Minister for Schools between 2016 and 2020, and Shadow Minister for International Development between 2015 and 2016.
Kane supported Owen Smith in his 2016 challenge to then Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn. On the Blairite wing of the Labour Party, Kane nominated Lisa Nandy in the 2020 Labour leadership election.
Born in 1969, Kane spent a large part of his youth caring for his mother who suffered from MS. Born to Irish immigrant parents, he was raised in a council flat in what would eventually become part of his constituency.
After leaving school, Kane initially worked as a labourer. He later attended a night course at Manchester College which earned him the additional A-level he needed to study social science politics at Manchester Metropolitan University. As a graduate, he worked for Manchester City Football Club.
He then became a primary school teacher. Before being elected to Westminster, he worked in the offices of the Labour MPs, James Purnell MP and Jonathan Reynolds MP.
Kane joined the Labour Party when he was 19, and served on Manchester City Council between 1991 and 2008. As a Manchester Councillor he served as the Executive Member for Arts and Leisure, and was involved in the investment strategy connected to the redevelopment of Manchester’s Central Library.
Kane is a Manchester City supporter, who plays the flute and the bagpipes.
Mike Kane is a catholic who is Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Holy See, and an Officer of the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Irish in Britain.
Email: mike.kane.mp@parliament.uk
Personal Website: http://www.mikekane.org/
Twitter: @MikeKaneMP
