Brexit

Whitehead was one of the 52 Labour MPs who defied Jeremy Corbyn and voted against triggering Article 50.^[12] He claimed that triggering Article 50 without clarity on what would be done was not in the UK's best interest, and he was not prepared to stand by and allow the country to go down what he regarded as a potentially very dangerous path.^[13]

Renewable energy

Whitehead has lobbied for the increased use of sustainable energy sources, particularly microgeneration. He criticised the results of the Energy Review,^[14] and was the co-author of EDM 2204^[15] which states 'the case for nuclear has not yet been made' and urges the government to 'recognise the enormous potential for reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by energy efficiency and conservation, greater use of combined heat and power, and rapid investment in the full range of renewable technologies, including microgeneration.'

As leader of Southampton City Council in 1986, Whitehead proposed that the city council take measures to become a 'self sustaining city' with regard to energy generation.^[16] One such measure was the conversion of Southampton Civic Centre to being heated by local reservoirs of geothermal energy.

Whitehead sits as a non-executive director of a non-profit making company called SSEL Ltd, formed to deliver a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) project, which was partially funded by the Government as part of the regeneration of outer Shirley.^[17]

The CHP system recycles the by-product 'low grade heat' made during the electricity generation process and uses the by-product to heat water which is piped to local homes. This scheme has been criticised by the current Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Environment & Transport, Matthew Dean, for being unviable and the council's involvement in the project has now ended.

Whitehead's Private Members Bill,^[18] was 'talked out' by Conservative backbenchers in 2005, but many of the Bill's most important aspects were incorporated into the Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Act 2006, sponsored by Mark Lazarowicz MP.

Whitehead's amendments to the bill included:

• requiring better compliance of building regulations for energy efficiency
• the removal of planning permission for microgeneration in homes
• new regulations to ensure a minimum energy standard in new homes including microgeneration

Whitehead is an outspoken supporter of action on anthropogenic climate change, and has called debate by members of parliament who reject the scientific view a "flat earth love-in".^[19]

Houses in multiple occupancy

Due to the high concentration of houses in multiple occupation in Southampton, in 2007 Whitehead proposed changing planning regulations which would mean a landlord would be required to apply for planning permission if they wanted to convert a family home into an HMO housing more than four people.^[20] The proposal was considered as part of the government's current review of the private housing sector, to report in October 2008.^[21]

Pre-pay meters

Alan Whitehead is currently campaigning with the National Housing Federation to end the current pricing practice used by several energy companies which sees customers who pay for their electricity or gas via pre-pay meters pay more for the same amount of energy than customers who pay via direct debit.^[22] Whitehead argues: "Ten per cent of pre-pay electricity customers are in fuel poverty compared with only 3.5 per cent of direct debit customers. In short, those who need affordable energy most pay far more for it than those who do not. What is worse, because of the nature of pre-payment, most of them are not aware of that fact."

Education Bill 2006

Along with fellow Labour MPs Estelle Morris, John Denham and Martin Salter, Whitehead co-wrote the so-called alternative education white paper 'Shaping the Education Bill- Reaching for Consensus,' which criticised the weakening of the role of local education authorities in the provision of education services and called for the schools admissions code to be made mandatory. He voted for the Bill when Alan Johnson, the new Education Secretary, accepted many of the alternative white paper's proposals.

Rebellions

Whitehead has rebelled against a government 3-line whip on the following issues:

• The renewal of the UK Trident programme
• The invasion of Iraq

Whitehead's rebellion against a government 3-line whip on Trident renewal is not surprising, given that archived documents have emerged showing that in 1982–83 Whitehead paid a subscription to Southampton CND.^[23]

2006 World Cup

In June 2006, the UK Parliamentary Football Team ran a charity match in Portugal against the Portuguese Parliament, which coincided with part of the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The match and the trip were sponsored by McDonald's as part of their Football in the Community Programme. The UKPFC by the British Medical Association was criticised for accepting McDonald's sponsorship.^[24] Whitehead, who at the time played in goal for the UKPFC, fully declared the sponsorship in his register of members interests.^[25] He also pointed out the trip was part of a long-standing fundraising campaign between the UKPFC and McDonald's that raised over 20,000 euros for local charities.^[26]

In Southampton

Whitehead is a Fellow of the Institute of Waste Management, and member of the Board for The Environment Centre (Southampton) and Third Age Centre (Southampton). He is a visiting professor in the Faculty of Media, Arts and Society at Southampton Solent University.^[27]

In January 2022 Whitehead announced that he would be standing down at the next general election.^[28]