A WEEK tomorrow, Jack Straw celebrates 25 years as MP for Blackburn and his beloved Ewood Park.

The Essex boy's transformation into a full-blown Rovers fan -- which includes turning his children into similar supporters -- is symptomatic of his commitment to the town.

He has followed Rovers through thick and thin since he was first associated with the town as its then MP Barbara Castle's political aide.

And he has been busy around his constituency again this week when his duties as Foreign Secretary allowed a gap in the diary.

Indeed Mr Straw has made a point of keeping up his regular visit to Blackburn whatever position he has held.

He spends almost more time on the train from Euston than he does on the plane to Brussels, Baghdad or Washington.

And he still maintains his regular soap-box shout-about in the town centre to the horror of his security guards.

He has always believed that his loyalty to his constituency comes first.

As he once put it to me: "Everything else -- the ministerial job, the cars and the trappings -- come because I am MP for Blackburn.

Over recent years Jack's claim that Blackburn is really a marginal has seemed somewhat fanciful and his constituency work has seemed more doing his public duty rather than saving his job.

Now he may find out how much effect all that hard work has had.

For the gloss has come off New Labour. The Tony Blair effect is no longer worth between 4,000 and 8,000 votes.

Indeed thanks to the Iraq war, Mr Straw may find that his closeness to the Prime Minister actually costs him votes.

With a majority at the last election in 2001 of 9,249 it all looks rather tricky. Mr Straw will spend next Saturday's celebration wondering whether his 25th anniversary celebration of being MP for Blackburn is not almost his last.