 Member for Somerton and Frome since 2001. Committees: Vice-Chair, All-Party Parliamentary Group on Eye Health and Visual Impairment; Member, APPGs on Pharmacy, Diabetes, the United Nations, Romania. Political career: Shadow Minister for Justice 2007-08; Shadow Leader of the House 2003–07; Member, Home Affairs Team since 2002–06; Spokesperson on Lord Chancellor’s Department since 2002; LD Shadow Science Minister 2001; LD Spokesperson for Shadow Work and Pensions Team; Member, Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE; Member, LD Foreign Affairs, Defence and Europe Team; Member, Somerset County Council 1985–97; Member, Avon and Somerset Police Academy 1992–97; Leader, Somerset County Council 1985–89; Chair, Avon and Somerset Police Authority 1993–96; Chair, Education Committee, Somerset County Council 1996–97; Member, Audit Commission 1994–97. Special political interests: Education, local government, rural affairs. Profession/Trade: Qualified optician. Title/Honours/Decorations: CBE 1989. Education: Millfield School; St John’s College, Oxford, MA Physiological Sciences; The City University, London. Hobbies: Rugby, cricket, pig breeding. b. 16 March 1954, Westbury-sub-Mendip, Somerset. Married with two children.
|
| |
2005 |
|
|
2001 |
|
| LIB DEM HOLD |
Votes |
% |
+/- % |
Votes |
% |
| Lib Dem |
23,759 |
44.1 |
0.4 |
22,983 |
43.6 |
| Conservative |
22,947 |
42.6 |
0.2 |
22,315 |
42.4 |
| Labour |
5,685 |
10.5 |
-1.1 |
6,113 |
11.6 |
| UKIP |
1,047 |
1.9 |
0.2 |
919 |
1.7 |
| Veritas |
484 |
0.9 |
|
|
|
| Liberal |
|
|
|
354 |
0.7 |
| Majority |
812 |
1.5 |
|
668 |
1.3 |
| Turnout |
53,922 |
69.3 |
-1.0 |
52,684 |
70.3 |
|
