Sarah Green (politician) explained

Sarah Green
Parliament:United Kingdom
Constituency Mp:Chesham and Amersham
Majority:5,451 (10.1%)
Term Start:17 June 2021
Predecessor:Dame Cheryl Gillan
Office1:Liberal Democrat portfolios
Suboffice1:Wales
Subterm1:2022–present
Suboffice2:International Trade
Subterm2:2022–present
Birth Name:Sarah Louise Green
Birth Place:Corwen, Wales
Birth Date:25 April 1982
Party:Liberal Democrats
Alma Mater:

Sarah Louise Green (born 25 April 1982) is a British businesswoman and Liberal Democrat politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Chesham and Amersham since 2021.[1] [2] [3]

Early life and career

Sarah Green was born on 25 April 1982[4] in Corwen, Clwyd in North Wales, and grew up there.[5] [6] She studied at Aberystwyth University and Manchester Metropolitan University.[7] She was the chair of IR Cymru (now Welsh Young Liberals) during her time at Aberystwyth. She speaks Welsh fluently.

Green founded the marketing and communications company Green and Ginger in 2014.[8] Her previous experience included working for Euromonitor International and Kantar TNS.

In 2019, Green worked on Dominic Grieve's general election campaign.

Parliamentary career

Green was selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Ynys Môn constituency for the 2005 general election. She finished fifth with 6.8% of the vote behind the incumbent Labour MP Albert Owen, Plaid Cymru's Eurig Wyn, the independent candidate Peter Rogers, and the Conservative candidate.[9] [10]

At the 2010 general election, Green contested Arfon, where she finished fourth with 14.1% of the vote behind Plaid Cymru's Hywel Williams, Labour's Alun Pugh, and the Conservative's Robin Millar.[11] [12]

On 4 April 2021, Dame Cheryl Gillan died from cancer, triggering the 2021 Chesham and Amersham by-election. Green was elected as MP with 56.7% of the vote and a majority of 8,028.[13] Green is only the third MP to represent the constituency since its creation in 1974, and is the constituency's second consecutive Welsh-born MP.[14]

In her victory speech, Green called on voters to "reject Conservative mismanagement" and vowed to "continue the work of holding this Government to account for letting Covid rip through the care homes. We will speak up for the three million people excluded from financial support throughout the pandemic and we will challenge Boris Johnson to be far more ambitious in tackling climate change, supporting our frontline workers and backing our small businesses."[15] She was sworn into Parliament on 21 June 2021,[16] and made her maiden speech on 7 September 2021.[17]

On 11 July 2022, Green was appointed Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for International Trade and Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Wales.[18]

In April 2024, The Times reported on Green's use of an outsourcing company owned by a former Liberal Democrat official, Candy Piercy. The company, Midas Training, which has received over £120,000 via Green's parliamentary expenses, is run by Candy Piercy, the Vice Chair of Green's local party. Piercy's daughter, Miranda Roberts, is also a director of Midas Training and a member of the Chesham and Amersham Liberal Democrats executive committee.[19]

At the 2024 general election, Green was re-elected to Parliament as MP for Chesham and Amersham with a decreased vote share of 44.8% and a decreased majority of 5,451.[20]

Policy positions

HS2 Railway Line

Like her predecessor and her rival Conservative candidate, Green opposes the construction of the HS2 railway line that was planned to go through her constituency. The day after the by-election, party leader Ed Davey was challenged on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on how his party's support for HS2 fitted with Green's stated opposition to the project. The local party campaigned against HS2, despite the national party giving the project their full backing at the 2019 general election. Davey said the party is still in favour of the project but that they would be a "thorn in the side" of the delivery company HS2 Ltd, saying that it had ignored local people's concerns over issues such as the transparency of the impact of the Chilterns tunnelling works on local water supplies.[21] [22] [23]

Planning laws

Green opposed the changes to England's planning laws that were proposed by the Conservative government in 2021 [24] which she claimed would "see more unwanted destruction to our countryside", "allow developers to build over our greenbelt with local residents powerless to stop them", and "be a devastating blow to our area".[25] These plans were subsequently dropped by the government later that year in response to reaction amongst Conservatives MPs across the South-East who feared for their own electoral chances following Green's election. Planning reform remains a contentious issue across the South-East especially in Green belt areas.[26]

Notes and References

  1. News: Chesham and Amersham by-election: Who will be the next MP?. 17 June 2021. Andy Holmes. BBC News. 18 June 2021. 16 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210616145918/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-57495636. live.
  2. Web site: Chesham and Amersham by-election won by Lib Dems. BBC News. 18 June 2021. 18 June 2021. 18 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210618151428/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-57472032. live.
  3. Web site: Lib Dems in shock win at Chesham and Amersham by-election. Bucks Free Press. 18 June 2021. 18 June 2021. 18 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210618151504/https://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/19381772.lib-dems-shock-win-chesham-amersham-by-election/. live.
  4. Web site: On this day 25-4-1982 . Journal of Liberal History . Liberal Democrat History Group . 6 May 2024 . 25 April 1982 . live . 11 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231211101742/https://liberalhistory.org.uk/timeline/on-this-day-25-4-1982/.
  5. 'Not cricket': Lib Dem Chesham victor says Tories recoiled from Johnson. The Guardian. Peter. Walker. 1 July 2021. 2 July 2021.
  6. Web site: We are extremely proud to see Sarah Green standing for the Liberal Democrats in the upcoming Chesham & Amersham by-election! Sarah is a Corwen native and we wish her well. 14 March 2021. Wrexham and Clwyd South Liberal Democrats. Facebook. 19 June 2021. 18 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210618151454/https://da-dk.facebook.com/WCSLibDems/posts/?ref=page_internal. live.
  7. Web site: Sarah Green . . 18 June 2021.
  8. Web site: Home page . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210618173045/https://greenandginger.com/ . 18 June 2021 . 18 June 2021 . Green and Ginger Communications.
  9. Web site: Ynys Môn parliamentary constituency – Election 2005 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200412114312/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/vote2005/html/657.stm . 12 April 2020 . 18 June 2021 . BBC News.
  10. Web site: Election Data 2005 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111015054249/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2005ob.txt . 15 October 2011 . 18 October 2015 . Electoral Calculus.
  11. Web site: Election 2010 – Constituency – Arfon . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170823065600/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/constituency/w17.stm . 23 August 2017 . 18 June 2021 . BBC News.
  12. Web site: Election Data 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130726162034/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2010.txt . 26 July 2013 . 17 October 2015 . Electoral Calculus.
  13. Web site: 17 June 2021 . Election results for Chesham & Amersham, 17 June 2021 - Modern Council .
  14. Welsh speaker in shock by-election win in Chesham and Amersham. Nation Cymru. 18 June 2021. 19 June 2021. 18 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210618151504/https://nation.cymru/news/welsh-speaker-wins-shock-by-election-win-in-chesham-and-amersham/. live.
  15. Web site: Lib Dems in shock win at Chesham and Amersham by-election. Bucks Free Press. 18 June 2021 . 18 June 2021. 18 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210618151455/https://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/19381772.lib-dems-shock-win-chesham-amersham-by-election/. live.
  16. Web site: Harris. Simon. 2021-06-21. Britain's newest MP, Sarah Green, sworn in after surprise victory. 2021-06-21. ITV News. en.
  17. News: Elections Bill Debated on Tuesday 7 September 2021: 4:51pm . Hansard . UK Parliament . en.
  18. Web site: Sarah Green - Parliamentary Career . 30 November 2022.
  19. News: Hauschild . Dominic . Lib Dem MP paid £120,000 to firm run by party officials . 23 April 2024 . The Sunday Times . 21 April 2024 . 8 . en.
  20. News: Chesham and Amersham - General election results 2024 . 2024-07-30 . BBC News . en-GB.
  21. News: Diane . Taylor . Fears raised over risks of water contamination as result of HS2 works. 31 May 2021. The Guardian. 18 June 2021. 16 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210616075331/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/may/31/fears-raised-over-risks-of-water-contamination-as-result-of-hs2-works. live.
  22. News: Why did the LibDems win by-election – planning rules, HS2 or Brexit?. Forrest. Adam. 18 June 2021. The Independent. 18 June 2021. 18 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210618151507/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/lib-dems-byelection-brexit-hs2-b1868404.html. live.
  23. News: HS2 challenge and planning issues 'delivered Lib Dem election win'. Ian. Weinfass. 18 June 2021 . Construction News. 18 June 2021. 18 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210618151435/https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/hs2/hs2-challenge-and-planning-issues-delivered-lib-dem-election-win-18-06-2021/. live.
  24. Planning for the Future: planning policy changes in England in 2020 and future reforms. Cassie. Barton. Edward. Potton. Gabrielle Garton. Grimwood. Georgina. Hutton. 18 June 2021. commonslibrary.parliament.uk. 18 June 2021. 26 May 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210526131551/https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8981/. live.
  25. News: HS2: Chesham and Amersham by-election candidates' policies. BBC News. 18 June 2021. 18 June 2021. 15 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210615152033/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-57383497. live.
  26. Web site: 2021-09-11 . Ministers 'to ditch overhaul of planning laws' after criticism . 2023-01-11 . The Guardian . en.

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