Sarah Teather
| Sarah Teather MP | |
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Lib Dems spokesperson for
Innovation, Universities and Skills
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| In office 4 July 2007 – present |
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| Leader | Menzies Campbell |
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| Preceded by | Department Created |
| Succeeded by | Incumbent |
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| In office 3 March 2006 – 4 July 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Edward Davey |
| Succeeded by | Department Abolished |
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Member of Parliament
for Brent East |
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| In office 18 September 2003 – present |
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| Preceded by | Paul Daisley |
| Succeeded by | Incumbent |
| Majority | 2,712 |
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| Born | January 06 1974  Leicester, North London, UK |
| Political party | Liberal Democrats |
| Alma mater | St John's College |
| Website | http://www.sarahteather.libdems.org.uk/ |
Sarah Louise Teather (born 1 June 1974[1], London) is a British Liberal Democrat politician, Member of Parliament for Brent East, Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Guantanamo Bay. [2][3]
She was first elected on 18 September 2003 in the Brent East by-election and re-elected with an increased majority on 5 May 2005 in the 2005 general election. [4]
Early Life
Born in North London and educated at Leicester Grammar School and St John's College, Cambridge University, she gained a 2:1 degree in Natural Sciences specialising in pharmacology.[citation needed]
Teather initially embarked on a PhD at University College London, but left the course at the end of her first year. She went on to work as a policy advisor for a number of prominent groups including the Royal Society and the charity Macmillan Cancer Relief. [citation needed]
Member of Parliament
Teather first contested an election on 7 June, 2001 in the seat of Finchley and Golders Green. On 3 May, 2002 she became a councillor in the London Borough of Islington.[5]
In 2003 she was selected as the party's candidate in the Brent East by-election, which was called after death of the Labour MP Paul Daisley. [6]
The by-election took place during the early stages of the Iraq War. The Liberal Democrats came from third place behind Labour and the Conservatives, with a 39.12% share of the total and 1,118 majority. [7]
The by-election was Labour's first by-election defeat in 15 years. Teather was the youngest member of the House, informally known as the "Baby of the House". [8]
She subsequently resigned her seat on Islington Council, as well as her candidature for the GLA seat in North East London.
At the 2005 general election, Teather retained her seat and increased her majority.[9]
Lib Dems Shadow Cabinet
In parliament Teather quickly became one of the highest profile Liberal Democrat MPs. Initially acting as her party's spokesperson on London, after the 2005 general election she was promoted to the front bench to serve as the Liberal Democrat Spokeswoman on Community and Local Government. [10]
She was promoted again to Education Spokeswoman [11] following Menzies Campbell's election as leader on 2 March, 2006 and now acts as the party's Shadow Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills. [12]
In Autumn 2006, she spent a week observing in schools, writing a daily blog of the experience for Guardian Unlimited.
She established the All Party Parliamentary Group on Guantanamo Bay in March 2007, and has used the group to campaign against the detention without charge of Jamil el-Banna, a constituent. She has visited Washington twice to lobby on his behalf, and also works closely on the case with the anti-death penalty charity, Reprieve and Amnesty International.[citation needed]
Liberal Democrat leadership crisis
On January 6 2006, 25 Liberal Democrat MPs signed a letter drafted by Teather and fellow frontbencher Ed Davey, indicating their unwillingness to continue working under party leader Charles Kennedy. The Guardian claimed the letter to be "the most damning" of the publicly expressed sentiments regarding Kennedy's position [13], and later that day Kennedy announced his resignation. Teather supported Menzies Campbell in the subsequent leadership election [14][15].
Boundary changes
Brent East and neighbouring Brent South are to be abolished at the next general election. On 31 August, 2006 Teather announced her intention to stand for the new Brent Central constituency[citation needed]. She will face Labour MP Dawn Butler, the member for Brent South.
See also
References
External links
- Sarah Teather MP official site
- Sarah Teather MP profile at the site of Liberal Democrats
| Parliament of the United Kingdom (1801–present) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Paul Daisley |
Member of Parliament for
Brent East 2003 – present |
Incumbent |
| Preceded by David Lammy |
Baby of the House 2003–2005 |
Succeeded by Jo Swinson |
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