Andrew george mp biography examples
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I’m just doing my job.” He has strongly challenged the Tory side of the Coalition - for students, for families affected by the “bedroom tax,” for an NHS which puts patients before profit, and in many other areas of policy.
Andrew is Chair of the All Party Group (APPG) for Gypsies Travellers and Roma, the APPG on Global Tuberculosis and various other APPGs covering a wide range of subjects.
Outside Parliament, he Chairs the British campaign for the restitution of the Parthenon Marbles - "Marbles Reunited."
Amongst the many subjects he has campaigned on include planning, affordable housing, wildlife protection, marine protection, sustainable fisheries, reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, regional policy, control of second home ownership, promotion of the Cornish language and Cornish identity, promoting cultural minorities, protecting victims, opposing domestic violence, promoting the interests of the disabled, safe staffing, fairer treatment of home care workers and many other issues.
He rebelled against the Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition government more than any other Liberal Democrat MP.
George was made the Liberal Democrats' Fisheries Spokesman by Paddy Ashdown in 1997, a role he undertook until 2007. to remove the Conservative’s 50% council tax subsidy for wealthy second home owners, for a new regulator to protect smaller farmers and other suppliers from the “bully-boy” behaviour of supermarket buyers (known as the Grocery Code Adjudicator) and has led other campaigns for safe registered nurse staffing on hospital wards, against the Conservative’s ‘Bedroom Tax’ and many other campaigns in the field of international development, environment, health, anti-poverty, anti-discrimination, housing and much else.
Andrew was Chief Executive of affordable housing charity Cornwall Community Land Trust and has run other research and campaign projects with the support of the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust and others.
He successfully campaigned to secure the right of victims (and families) to make an impact statement in Court and has championed victims' rights.
Parliamentary Experience
Andrew has held many roles within his Party - as Shadow Environment Minister, Shadow Agriculture Minister, Shadow Fisheries Minister, Shadow Disabilities Minister, Shadow Secretary of State for International Development and as Private Parliamentary Secretary to the then Leader (Rt.
Led campaigns to cut tax subsidies for second homes and against the Conservative’s ‘bedroom tax’; also led on safe staffing in hospitals, for the official recognition of the Cornish language and Cornish people, for fair funding for Cornwall, for a supermarket watchdog to protect suppliers, for badger vaccination, and much more.
Background: Born and brought up in Mullion with seven brothers and sisters, his teacher/musician mother, and horticulturist/businessman father.
Although he never set out to achieve such a status, he was recently identified as the "most rebellious" Liberal Democrat MP in Parliament. He became Shadow Rural Affairs and Food Secretary in 2002, a role he held until 2005. He says that he always "stands up to bullies". In his view, “This is neither a badge of honour nor of shame. He is a member of the National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society's experts panel.
In the 2010 general election, George's majority was substantially reduced from 11,609 to 1,719 following boundary changes to his constituency.
From his election victory in 1997, George has campaigned in Parliament on many issues key to Cornwall.
Came just 312 votes behind the Conservative last time in this very marginal constituency.
Campaigns: To save West Cornwall Hospital, St Michael’s and Helston Hospitals; and against the Conservatives’ closure of Edward Hain Hospital in 2016. Under the new leadership of Charles Kennedy in 1999 he also became Shadow Disability Minister as part of the Department of Social Security team.
Worked in agriculture, research, writing; and as a charity worker in Nottinghamshire, Devon and Cornwall specialising in affordable housing, anti-poverty work, economic and environmental development and community facilities.
Elected to Parliament in 1997. Studied at Sussex and Oxford Universities. Volunteers for Penzance Street Food Project and for Cornwall Wildlife Trust, amongst others.
Publications: Cornwall at the Crossroads (with Bernard Deacon and Ron Perry), The Alternative (with Caroline Lucas MP, Lisa Nandy MP and others), A view from the bottom left-hand corner, The natives are revolting down in the Cornwall theme park, A Vision of Cornwall, and others.
Cornish people of all political colours say Andrew’s dedicated, hard-working and cares for his constituents.
He finished his education at University College at the University of Oxford, where he was awarded a master's degree in agricultural economics in 1981.
Life and career
George worked as a charity worker, initially, as a rural officer with the Nottinghamshire Rural Community Council in 1981, and held a number of appointments in charity, business and research, until he became the deputy director of the Cornwall Rural Community Council in 1987, where he remained until his election to the House of Commons.
Since 2015 works as Chief Exec of successful trust focussed on affordable homes for locals and as a researcher and writer.
Interests: Used to play football and rugby (including for the House of Commons) and still plays league cricket, and runs, walks, and gardens.
Biography
Drawn into politics by his commitment to fight for a fairer world, Cornishman Andrew George says his mission has always been to “speak for the silent voices” and to make sure west Cornwall is heard in Westminster.
Following the 2001 General Election he joined the Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet team as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Leader of the Liberal Democrats Kennedy. Worked in farming, housing, charity, environmental projects, research, and writing before elected as the first Liberal Democrat MP for this constituency for 70 years in 1997.
He is married and has an adult daughter and son and continues to live and work in Cornwall.
Andrew is renowned as a successful campaigner and has a reputation for independent-mindedness and a record of rebelling against his Party whip in Parliament, especially during the years of the Coalition Government (2010-15) when he argued that his Party leadership were compromising far too much with the Conservatives.
He led successful parliamentary campaigns – e.g.
He has also led or been involved in successful campaigns: to protect marine wildlife; for the first community-led badger vaccination project in the country (with the Zoological Society of London); to press for safe staffing on hospital wards; and, in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, to secure funding for many local projects to improve transport links to the Isles of Scilly, to secure a Fuel Duty Rebate for the Isles of Scilly, to support plans to turn Goonhilly Earth Station into a Space Science and Satellite Centre generating a £multi-million global business.
He fought to secure improvements to rail services and to protect the sleeper service from Penzance to Paddington.
Schooled at local state schools, studied at Sussex and Oxford Universities. The Tories (and "National Liberals") had held the seat for the previous 79 years.