Jenkins was elected to the
House of Commons at the
South East Staffordshire by-election in April 1996, following the death of
Conservative Party MP
David Lightbown. He had previously contested the seat in the
1992 general election. Jenkins made his maiden speech in the House of Commons on 8 May 1996. The South East Staffordshire constituency was abolished in boundary changes at the
1997 general election, when he was returned to Parliament for the new
Tamworth constituency. He was re-elected at the
2001 general election and again in
2005, but lost the seat to the Conservative Party candidate
Chris Pincher in
2010. ==References==