Lorely Burt

The Right Honourable
The Baroness Burt of Solihull
Liberal Democrat Equalities Spokesperson
Assumed office
October 2016
Leader Tim Farron
Preceded by Meral Hussein-Ece, Baroness Hussein-Ece
Liberal Democrat Business, Energy and Industrial Stategy Spokesperson
In office
29 July 2015 – October 2016
Leader Tim Farron
Preceded by Vince Cable
Succeeded by Don Foster, Baron Foster of Bath
Liberal Democrat Northern Ireland Spokesperson
In office
9 January 2015 – 16 July 2015
Leader Nick Clegg
Preceded by Alistair Carmichael (2010)
Succeeded by Lord Alderdice
Assistant Government Whip
In office
4 November 2014 – 8 May 2015
Preceded by Jenny Willott
Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury
In office
11 September 2012 – 4 November 2014
Prime Minister David Cameron
Leader Nick Clegg
Preceded by Gordon Birtwistle
Member of Parliament
for Solihull
In office
5 May 2005 – 7 May 2015
Preceded by John Taylor
Succeeded by Julian Knight
Majority 175 (0.3%)
Personal details
Born (1954-09-10) 10 September 1954
Sedgley, Staffordshire, England
Nationality British
Political party Liberal Democrats
Spouse(s) Richard Burt
Children Stepson James; Daughter Emma
Alma mater University College, Swansea
Website www.lorelyburt.org.uk

Lorely Jane Burt, Baroness Burt of Solihull (born 10 September 1954) is a British politician, who was the Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Solihull from 2005 to 2015.[1] She was nominated for a life peerage in the 2015 Dissolution Honours.[2]

Early life

Burt attended High Arcal Grammar School, Dudley (1966–71) and Dudley Technical College (A-levels 1971-73) before going to University College, Swansea, where she attained a BSc Honours in Economics. She later received an MBA from the Open University.

Employment before Parliament

After graduating in economics, Burt began her career in the Prison Service as an Assistant Governor at HM Prison Holloway before working for several national companies in personnel and training. She later set up a training company and worked as a director in the marketing and financial services sector. She started part-time consultancy work when she became the prospective Liberal Democrat candidate for Solihull.

Political career

Burt's political career began on Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, where she served from 1998 to 2003. She stood for election in Dudley South at the 2001 general election. She also stood for the West Midlands region at the 2004 European Parliament election.

Member of Parliament

In the run up to the 2005 general election, Burt campaigned on various local issues affecting Solihull, and succeeded in overturning incumbent John Taylor's 9,407 majority to a 279 majority in her favour. The Conservatives lost only two other seats to the Liberal Democrats that year. Solihull had been a traditionally Conservative constituency, and Burt was aided by many former Labour voters switching to vote Liberal Democrat.

Following her election, Burt became a Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Northern Ireland, an Opposition Whip, and served on the Treasury Select Committee. Following the election of Sir Menzies Campbell to the leadership of the party in 2006, Burt became the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Small Business and Women and Equality. In 2007 she moved to become the Spokesperson for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.

In October 2007, she was elected as the party's first female Chair of the Liberal Democrats' Parliamentary Party, defeating John Thurso and Andrew George in a poll of MPs.[3]

In the 2010 general election, boundary changes had made her seat notionally Conservative. She held Solihull by 175 votes over her Conservative opponent Maggie Throup.

In 2013 Burt was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to Danny Alexander,[4] the Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Upon taking this new role she resigned from her positions as BIS Co-Chair and Chair of the Parliamentary Party.

In April 2014 she was appointed the government's Ambassador for Women in Enterprise.[5]

In November 2014 Burt was appointed to be an Assistant Government Whip.[6]

She lost her seat to the Conservative Julian Knight in the 2015 General Election. She was announced as a new peer in the 2015 Dissolution Honours and on the afternoon of 9 October she was created Baroness Burt of Solihull, of Solihull in the County of West Midlands.[7]

Campaigns

Burt has campaigned on a number of issues both locally and nationally. Locally, she has campaigned to prevent Shirley parkland from being developed,[8] to save Solihull’s NHS Walk-In Centre,[9] to save Shirley Library from closure[10] and for a better ambulance service.[11]

Personal life

Burt is married to Richard, who himself has been a Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate several times, and has a daughter and a stepson.

See also

References

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
John M. Taylor		 Member of Parliament for Solihull
2005–2015 		Succeeded by
Julian Knight
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