ACTION man Brian Jarvis is back on duty but he intends staying well clear of Westminster.

This week, interviewed at his Leigh home, Cllr Jarvis -- who six weeks ago looked odds-on to become Leigh's next MP -- revealed how he never really wanted the job.

He told the Journal: "In hindsight getting involved in the parliamentary selection race was not one of the best decisions I've ever made.

"It was never really my desire, but over a period of months I was asked to put my name forward by a substantial number of Leigh Constituency Labour Party members.

"I didn't really want it but I seriously think I would have got it. As the process moved on both my girlfriend, Barbara, and myself realised we didn't want to move to London. I just did it to show the Labour hierarchy at Millbank who wanted to put an 'outsider' in.

"Looking back I already had too many things going on at the time but I decided to go along with it."

In the drawn-out selection race to name Labour's candidate for the next general election to succeed sitting MP Lawrence Cunliffe, who has decided not to seek re-election, the man from down Plank Lane way wasn't faring too badly.

The Labour party has around 400 members, half of whom it is estimated will vote in the candidate selection process.

And back in January almost 100 members had indicated their vote would probably go to local man Jarvis.

"But now I'm back," declared Cllr Jarvis with glee, promising those who have his best interest at heart that he would ease the pace of his council work.

Animal lover Cllr Jarvis's bungalow home is his office with four phones and masses of neatly filed paperwork, two Jack Russell terriers, a cat, tropical fish and zebra finches.

Yet for the past 10 years local politics and local issues have been a 365 day a year, seven days a week operation until the end of January when his metabolism cried 'enough!'.

"It was simply overwork -- I was getting involved with too many things and trying to take everything on myself. I have always been there when people needed me and have never taken a holiday in all the years I have been a councillor.

"But I now realise nobody can take that pressure 24 hours a day when out shopping, having a social drink or taking the dogs a walk.

"I was always working and I now realise I am going to have to turn off a bit. I made a rod for my own back.

"The problem is I can't say 'no' to people. It just got too much for me -- it was a stress related illness, but I feel fine now."

In January Cllr Jarvis was advised by his doctor to take two months off from politics because of stress.

But after five weeks he has decided to rejoin the fray.

And this week he was back in the thick of things preparing to embark on a schedule including five meetings in two day although he promised: "I will be more careful in future on how much I take on board. But I will continue to do my best for people."

Leader of Wigan Council Cllr Peter Smith said he hoped council colleagues and members of the public would give Cllr Jarvis time to settle back in to his routine.

Cllr Smith said: "We are pleased Brian is back but he must learn not to take everything on board himself and I think he realises that."

But on Tuesday Deputy Leader Cllr Tom Sherratt was horrified when he heard Cllr Jarvis had two meetings planned for that evening sighing: "Oh no, I've told him he should only be doing one . . ." BRIAN Jarvis, Leigh councillor and one-time parliamentary candidate for the next election, is back after five week's out of the limelight with a stress-related illness.

And, in an exclusive interview with the Journal today Cllr Jarvis reveals how he never really wanted to be an MP in the first place.

"Getting involved in the parliamentary selection race was not one of the best decisions I have ever made," he says.

Read Brian Gomm's revealing exclusive interview on Page 4.