Lorely Burt
Encyclopedia
Lorely Jane Burt is a British
politician
and the Liberal Democrat
Member of Parliament
for Solihull
.
, achieving a BSc
in Economics
. She went onto achieve an MBA from the Open University
.
, Burt began her career in the Prison Service
as an assistant governor, before working for several national companies in the field of personnel and training. She later set up a training company, worked as a director in the marketing and financial services sector, and moved into part-time consultancy work when she replaced John Windmill, former Liberal leader on Solihull Council, as the prospective Liberal Democrat candidate for Solihull.
her view was
She stood for election in Dudley South at the 2001 general election
polling 5,421 votes for third place. In 2003 she opposed a Liberal Democrats motion to abolish the Monarchy.
She also stood for the West Midlands region
at the 2004 European Parliament election.
, Burt campaigned on various local issues affecting Solihull
, and succeeded in overturning incumbent John Taylor's large majority . This was a striking achievement as the Conservatives lost only two other seats to the Liberal Democrats, and they had both been marginal seats for the previous decade. Solihull had been a traditionally Conservative constituency (at one point, Taylor's predecessor, Percy Grieve MP, had the largest Tory majority in Britain
), and Burt was aided in her victory over Taylor by squeezing the vote of the Labour Party
. Her majority over Taylor was just 279 votes, and along with boundary changes coming into place at that point, this made Solihull an extremely marginal constituency for the 2010 general election.
Following her election, Lorely Burt became a Liberal Democrat spokeswoman on Northern Ireland
and she also served on the Treasury
Select Committee. After the election of Sir Menzies Campbell to the leadership of the party, Burt became the Liberal Democrat spokesperson on Small Business
and Women and Equality. In 2007 she was moved from these jobs to become the spokeswoman 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.
In the 2010 general election, boundary changes had made her seat notionally Conservative. Against the national trend, however, she held Solihull by 175 votes over her Conservative opponent Maggie Throup.
She also has a grandson Oliver.
Audio clips
Video clips
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and the Liberal Democrat
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Solihull
Solihull (UK Parliament constituency)
Solihull is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
.
Early life
She went to University College, SwanseaSwansea University
Swansea University is a university located in Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom. Swansea University was chartered as University College of Swansea in 1920, as the fourth college of the University of Wales. In 1996, it changed its name to the University of Wales Swansea following structural changes...
, achieving a BSc
BSC
BSC is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to:Science and technology* Bachelor of Science , an undergraduate degree* Base Station Controller, part of a mobile phone network; see: Base Station subsystem...
in Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
. She went onto achieve an MBA from the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
.
Employment before Parliament
After graduating in economicsEconomics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, Burt began her career in the Prison Service
Her Majesty's Prison Service
Her Majesty's Prison Service is a part of the National Offender Management Service of the Government of the United Kingdom tasked with managing most of the prisons within England and Wales...
as an assistant governor, before working for several national companies in the field of personnel and training. She later set up a training company, worked as a director in the marketing and financial services sector, and moved into part-time consultancy work when she replaced John Windmill, former Liberal leader on Solihull Council, as the prospective Liberal Democrat candidate for Solihull.
Councillor
Her political career began on Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, where she served for five years from 1998. During the Liberal Democrats leadership election, 1999Liberal Democrats leadership election, 1999
The 1999 Liberal Democrats leadership election was called following the resignation of Paddy Ashdown as leader. There were five candidates and all members of the party were balloted using the Alternative Vote preference system...
her view was
- "Simon HughesSimon HughesSimon Henry Ward Hughes is a British politician and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats. He is Member of Parliament for the constituency of Bermondsey and Old Southwark. Until 2008 he was President of the Liberal Democrats...
has more passion and charisma in his little finger than Charles KennedyCharles KennedyCharles Peter Kennedy is a British Liberal Democrat politician, who led the Liberal Democrats from 9 August 1999 until 7 January 2006 and is currently a Member of Parliament for the Ross, Skye and Lochaber constituency....
has in his whole body."
She stood for election in Dudley South at the 2001 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
polling 5,421 votes for third place. In 2003 she opposed a Liberal Democrats motion to abolish the Monarchy.
She also stood for the West Midlands region
West Midlands (region)
The West Midlands is an official region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It contains the second most populous British city, Birmingham, and the larger West Midlands conurbation, which includes the city of Wolverhampton and large towns of Dudley,...
at the 2004 European Parliament election.
Member of Parliament
In the run up to the 2005 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
, Burt campaigned on various local issues affecting Solihull
Solihull (UK Parliament constituency)
Solihull is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
, and succeeded in overturning incumbent John Taylor's large majority . This was a striking achievement as the Conservatives lost only two other seats to the Liberal Democrats, and they had both been marginal seats for the previous decade. Solihull had been a traditionally Conservative constituency (at one point, Taylor's predecessor, Percy Grieve MP, had the largest Tory majority in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
), and Burt was aided in her victory over Taylor by squeezing the vote of the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
. Her majority over Taylor was just 279 votes, and along with boundary changes coming into place at that point, this made Solihull an extremely marginal constituency for the 2010 general election.
Following her election, Lorely Burt became a Liberal Democrat spokeswoman on Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Office
The Northern Ireland Office is a United Kingdom government department responsible for Northern Ireland affairs. The NIO is led by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and is based in Northern Ireland at Stormont House.-Role:...
and she also served on the Treasury
HM Treasury
HM Treasury, in full Her Majesty's Treasury, informally The Treasury, is the United Kingdom government department responsible for developing and executing the British government's public finance policy and economic policy...
Select Committee. After the election of Sir Menzies Campbell to the leadership of the party, Burt became the Liberal Democrat spokesperson on Small Business
Small business
A small business is a business that is privately owned and operated, with a small number of employees and relatively low volume of sales. Small businesses are normally privately owned corporations, partnerships, or sole proprietorships...
and Women and Equality. In 2007 she was moved from these jobs to become the spokeswoman for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform was a United Kingdom government department. The department was created on 28 June 2007 on the disbanding of the Department of Trade and Industry , and was itself disbanded on 6 June 2009 on the creation of the Department for Business,...
.
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.
In the 2010 general election, boundary changes had made her seat notionally Conservative. Against the national trend, however, she held Solihull by 175 votes over her Conservative opponent Maggie Throup.
Personal life
She is married to Richard Burt. She has a stepson James and daughter Emma.She also has a grandson Oliver.
External links
- Lorely Burt MP official constituency site
- Lorely Burt official Liberal Democrats profile
- Solihull Liberal Democrats
Audio clips
- WPRadio Discussing flexible working practices in 2007 on Women's Parliamentary RadioWomen's Parliamentary RadioWomen's Parliamentary Radio is a website which broadcasts audio and video interviews with women MPs of all parties.All the interviews are pre-recorded and put on the website as reports which can be streamed and listened to immediately or downloaded as podcasts so that they can be listened to later...
Video clips
- WPRadio face to face video Discussing changes she would like to make on behalf of women