Veronica German

Veronica German
Member of the Welsh Assembly
for South Wales East
In office
July 2010 – May 2011
Preceded by Mike German (Lib Dem)
Succeeded by Lindsay Whittle (Plaid)
Personal details
Born 12 February 1957
Political party Welsh Liberal Democrats
Spouse(s) Mike German, Lord German
Children Three children
Residence Newport, Wales
Portfolio Health, Local Government and Equalities
Religion Christian

Veronica German (née Hopkins, born 12 February 1957) is a Liberal Democrat politician and a former member of the National Assembly of Wales. She was a list member for South Wales East between 2010 and 2011.

Background

German has lived in the Newport and Cwmbran area for nearly 30 years. She graduated at Aston University where she studied Chemical Engineering, as well as achieving a Masters in Biochemical Engineering at the University of Birmingham.[1] While a third year student as part of her "sandwich degree" course, she was assigned to the pilot plant at Cadburys Bournville when they were developing the production of bubbles into the Cadbury Wispa chocolate bar where she "served" under her head of Dept. Dave Green.[2][3]

She was a teacher for 25 years, where she taught Science, Maths and ICT in many schools across the former Gwent LEA area.

German has three children by her previous marriage, all born and brought up in the Newport West constituency and educated locally at schools in Caerleon.

Political career

German served as a Newport Liberal Democrat councillor between 2004 to 2008. In May 2008, she was elected as a Torfaen councillor representing the people of Llanyrafon North.

In May 2010, the then Assembly Member for South Wales East, Mike German, was named to the House of Lords as a 'working peer' in the Dissolution Honours list.[4] She succeeded him, as she was the next candidate on the regional party list in 2007.[5][6]

German took up her seat as Assembly Member for South Wales East in July 2010, making her the first new member of the Assembly since 2007. Immediately after taking up her new position, German pledged to continue to campaign for the tolls at Severn Bridge to be reduced.

Whist an Assembly Member, she was the Welsh Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Health, Local Government and Equalities, as well as a member of the Petitions Committee; the Equal Opportunities Committee; the Health, Wellbeing and Local Government Committee; and Legislation Committee No. 3.

She failed to retain her list seat in the 2011 election.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/8250574.Torfaen_councillor_takes_up_seat_as_AM/
  2. ↑ http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/western-mail-cardiff-wales/mi_8001/is_2008_Feb_22/wispa-factor-prove-sweet-lib/ai_n38798195/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ↑ http://www.veronicagerman.org.uk/about/
  4. ↑ "Dissolution list". BBC News. 2010-05-28. Retrieved 2010-05-28.
  5. ↑ "Mike German made working peer in House of Lords". BBC Wales. 2010-05-28. Retrieved 2010-05-28.
  6. ↑ "Ex-Gwent AM becomes a lord". South Wales Argus. 2010-06-30. Retrieved 2010-01-07.

External links

Offices held

National Assembly for Wales
Preceded by
Mike German		 Assembly Member for South Wales East
2010 - 2011 		Succeeded by
Lindsay Whittle (Plaid)
Political offices
Preceded by
New Creation		 Spokesperson for Health, Local Government and Equalities
2010 - 2011 		Succeeded by
TBC