Sarah Ludford, Baroness Ludford
Encyclopedia
Sarah Ann Ludford, Baroness Ludford (born 14 March 1951) is a Liberal Democrat Member of the European Parliament
(MEP) and a nonvoting member of the House of Lords
(where her voting membership is suspended during her MEP tenure).
She was made a Life peer
as Baroness Ludford, of Clerkenwell in the London Borough of Islington
in 1997.
A former councillor in the London Borough of Islington
, and married to the former leader of the council, Steve Hitchins, she was elected as an MEP for London
at the European Parliament election in 1999 and re-elected in 2004 and in 2009.
Because of the change in the rules of the European Parliament
, she is not entitled to sit in the Lords due to her re-election to the European Parliament in the 2009 election
. In October 2008, Parliament's rules were changed so that if a member of the Lords were elected as an MEP, their right to sit and vote in the Lords would be suspended. This satisfies the new European Parliament rules and hence, Lady Ludford, the only person to whom this applies, is not allowed to vote in the Lords while an MEP.
She is vice president of LGBT+ Liberal Democrats
, and a member of the Liberal Democrat groups Friends of Israel
and Friends of Turkey
.
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
(MEP) and a nonvoting member of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
(where her voting membership is suspended during her MEP tenure).
She was made a Life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
as Baroness Ludford, of Clerkenwell in the London Borough of Islington
London Borough of Islington
The London Borough of Islington is a London borough in Inner London. It was formed in 1965 by merging the former metropolitan boroughs of Islington and Finsbury. The borough contains two Westminster parliamentary constituencies, Islington North and Islington South & Finsbury...
in 1997.
A former councillor in the London Borough of Islington
London Borough of Islington
The London Borough of Islington is a London borough in Inner London. It was formed in 1965 by merging the former metropolitan boroughs of Islington and Finsbury. The borough contains two Westminster parliamentary constituencies, Islington North and Islington South & Finsbury...
, and married to the former leader of the council, Steve Hitchins, she was elected as an MEP for London
London (European Parliament constituency)
London is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 8 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :The constituency corresponds to Greater London, in the south east of the United Kingdom....
at the European Parliament election in 1999 and re-elected in 2004 and in 2009.
Because of the change in the rules of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
, she is not entitled to sit in the Lords due to her re-election to the European Parliament in the 2009 election
European Parliament election, 2009 (United Kingdom)
The European Parliament election was the United Kingdom's component of the 2009 European Parliament election, the voting for which was held on Thursday 4 June 2009, coinciding with the 2009 local elections in England. Most of the results of the election were announced on Sunday 7 June, after...
. In October 2008, Parliament's rules were changed so that if a member of the Lords were elected as an MEP, their right to sit and vote in the Lords would be suspended. This satisfies the new European Parliament rules and hence, Lady Ludford, the only person to whom this applies, is not allowed to vote in the Lords while an MEP.
She is vice president of LGBT+ Liberal Democrats
Delga
LGBT+ Liberal Democrats is the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and gender & sexuality minorities equality group of the Liberal Democrats. DELGA was the original name when the organisation was formed...
, and a member of the Liberal Democrat groups Friends of Israel
Liberal Democrat Friends of Israel
Liberal Democrat Friends of Israel is a group whose stated objective is to 'maximise support for the State of Israel within the British Liberal Democrat Party', and to 'promote policies which lead to peace and security for Israel within a Middle East peace settlement'.President of Liberal Democrat...
and Friends of Turkey
Liberal Democrat Friends of Turkey
Liberal Democrat Friends of Turkey is a UK based campaign group promoting support within the British Liberal Democrat Party for a strong bilateral relationship between Britain and Turkey...
.
External links
- Sarah Ludford MEP official site
- Sarah Ludford profile at the European Parliament
- Sarah Ludford profile at the site of the Liberal Democrats