Sarah Green (politician)

Sarah Louise Green[1] is a British businesswoman and Liberal Democrat politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Chesham and Amersham since the 2021 Chesham and Amersham by-election.[2][3][4] Green is the first Liberal Democrat to represent the constituency, which had previously been Conservative since its creation in 1974. She is the area’s first non-Conservative representative since 1923.

Sarah Green
MP
Official portrait, 2021
Member of Parliament
for Chesham and Amersham
Assumed office
17 June 2021
Preceded byDame Cheryl Gillan
Majority8,028 (21.2%)
Liberal Democrat portfolios
2022-Wales
2022-International Trade
Personal details
Born
Sarah Louise Green

(1982-04-25) 25 April 1982
Corwen, Wales
NationalityBritish
Political partyLiberal Democrats
Alma mater
Websitewww.sarahgreen.org.uk

Early life and education

Green grew up in Corwen, Clwyd in rural North Wales, where her family is from.[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.[8]

Early career

Green founded the marketing and communications company Green and Ginger in 2014.[9] Her previous experience included working for Euromonitor International and Kantar TNS.[7]

Green was selected as the Lib Dem candidate for the Ynys Môn constituency for the 2005 general election. She finished fifth behind the Labour, Plaid Cymru and Conservative candidates, as well as one independent.[10] She next contested Arfon at the 2010 general election, where she finished fourth behind the Plaid Cymru, Labour and Conservative candidates.[11]

In 2019, Green worked on Dominic Grieve's general election campaign.[5]

Parliamentary career

On 4 April 2021, Dame Cheryl Gillan, former Secretary of State for Wales in the coalition government and MP for Chesham and Amersham since 1992, died from cancer. Subsequently, Green was elected as MP for the seat at the June 2021 by-election, with 21,517 votes (56.7%) – a majority of 8,028 (21.2%) on a swing of 25.2% from the Conservatives to the Lib Dems.[3][4] 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.[8]

Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey, who visited the seat 16 times during their campaign, celebrated the by-election victory by claiming the "Tory Blue Wall" across the south of England was "beginning to crumble".[12] Liberal Democrat activists on the ground said many voters they had met on the doorstep felt neglected by the governing Conservative Party.[13]

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."[14] She was sworn into Parliament on 21 June 2021,[15] and made her maiden speech on 7 September 2021.[16]

On 11 July 2022, Green was appointed Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for International Trade and Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Wales.[17]

Policy positions

HS2 Railway Line

Like her predecessor and her rival Conservative candidate, Green opposes the construction of the HS2 railway line that is planned to go through her constituency (work on the Chiltern tunnel started in May 2021). 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. "We still have problems with the way the HS2 company are going about their business – they have ignored local people." Davey added that challenging HS2 Ltd was a "mature approach... Standing up to big companies like HS2 rather than what the Conservatives seem to be doing and letting them rip." He accused the company of ignoring local people's concerns over issues such as the transparency of the impact of the Chilterns tunnelling works on local water supplies.[18][19][20]

Planning laws

Green opposed the changes to England's planning laws that were proposed by the Conservative government in 2021 [21] 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".[22] 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.[23]

References
  1. "Chesham and Amersham Statement of Persons Nominated 17 June 2021" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  2. Andy Holmes (17 June 2021). "Chesham and Amersham by-election: Who will be the next MP?". BBC News. Archived from the original on 16 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  3. "Chesham and Amersham by-election won by Lib Dems". BBC News. 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  4. "Lib Dems in shock win at Chesham and Amersham by-election". Bucks Free Press. 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  5. Walker, Peter (1 July 2021). "'Not cricket': Lib Dem Chesham victor says Tories recoiled from Johnson". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  6. Wrexham and Clwyd South Liberal Democrats (14 March 2021). "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". Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021 – via Facebook.
  7. "Sarah Green". LinkedIn. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  8. "Welsh speaker in shock by-election win in Chesham and Amersham". Nation Cymru. 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  9. "Home page". Green and Ginger Communications. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  10. "Ynys Môn parliamentary constituency – Election 2005". BBC News. Archived from the original on 12 April 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  11. "Election 2010 – Constituency – Arfon". BBC News. Archived from the original on 23 August 2017. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  12. "Chesham and Amersham by-election won by Lib Dems". BBC News. 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  13. Stewart, Heather; Siddique, Haroon (18 June 2021). "Lib Dems win Chesham and Amersham byelection in stunning upset". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  14. "Lib Dems in shock win at Chesham and Amersham by-election". Bucks Free Press. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  15. Harris, Simon (21 June 2021). "Britain's newest MP, Sarah Green, sworn in after surprise victory". ITV News. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  16. "Elections Bill Debated on Tuesday 7 September 2021: 4:51pm". Hansard. UK Parliament.
  17. "Sarah Green - Parliamentary Career". Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  18. Taylor, Diane (31 May 2021). "Fears raised over risks of water contamination as result of HS2 works". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 16 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  19. Forrest, Adam (18 June 2021). "Why did the LibDems win by-election – planning rules, HS2 or Brexit?". The Independent. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  20. Weinfass, Ian (18 June 2021). "HS2 challenge and planning issues 'delivered Lib Dem election win'". Construction News. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  21. Barton, Cassie; Potton, Edward; Grimwood, Gabrielle Garton; Hutton, Georgina (18 June 2021). Planning for the Future: planning policy changes in England in 2020 and future reforms (Report). Archived from the original on 26 May 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021 – via commonslibrary.parliament.uk.
  22. "HS2: Chesham and Amersham by-election candidates' policies". BBC News. 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 15 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  23. "Ministers 'to ditch overhaul of planning laws' after criticism". The Guardian. 11 September 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
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