Lorely Jane Burt, Baroness Burt of Solihull (born 10 September 1954) is a British politician, who was the
Liberal Democrat
Several political parties from around the world have been called the Liberal Democratic Party or Liberal Democrats. These parties usually follow a liberal democratic ideology.
Active parties
Former parties
See also
*Liberal democracy
*Lib ...
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
for
Solihull
Solihull (, or ) is a market town and the administrative centre of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in West Midlands County, England. The town had a population of 126,577 at the 2021 Census. Solihull is situated on the River Blythe i ...
from 2005 to 2015. She was nominated for a
life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. In modern times, life peerages, always created at the rank of baron, are created under the Life Peerages ...
age in the
2015 Dissolution Honours.
Early life
Burt attended High Arcal Grammar School, Dudley (1966–71) and Dudley Technical College (A-levels 1971-73) before going to
University College, Swansea
Swansea University ( cy, Prifysgol Abertawe) is a public university, public research university located in Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom. It was chartered as University College of Swansea in 1920, as the fourth college of the University of Wales. ...
, where she attained a BSc in Economics. She later received an MBA from the
Open University
The Open University (OU) is a British public research university and the largest university in the United Kingdom by number of students. The majority of the OU's undergraduate students are based in the United Kingdom and principally study off- ...
.
Employment before Parliament
After graduating in economics, Burt began her career in the
Prison Service
His Majesty's Prison Service (HMPS) is a part of HM Prison and Probation Service (formerly the National Offender Management Service), which is the part of His Majesty's Government charged with managing most of the prisons within England and Wale ...
as an Assistant Governor at
HM Prison Holloway
HM Prison Holloway was a closed category prison for adult women and young offenders in Holloway, London, England, operated by His Majesty's Prison Service. It was the largest women's prison in western Europe, until its closure in 2016.
Hist ...
before working for several national companies in personnel and training. She later set up a training company and worked as a director in the marketing and financial services sector. She started part-time consultancy work when she became the prospective Liberal Democrat candidate for Solihull.
Political career
Burt's political career began on
Dudley
Dudley is a large market town and administrative centre in the county of West Midlands, England, southeast of Wolverhampton and northwest of Birmingham. Historically an exclave of Worcestershire, the town is the administrative centre of the ...
Metropolitan Borough Council, where she served from 1998 to 2003. She stood for election in
Dudley South at the
2001 general election. She also stood for the
West Midlands region
The West Midlands is one of nine official regions of England at the first level of International Territorial Level for statistical purposes. It covers the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. The region consists ...
at the
2004 European Parliament election.
Member of Parliament
In the run up to the
2005 general election, Burt campaigned on various local issues affecting
Solihull
Solihull (, or ) is a market town and the administrative centre of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in West Midlands County, England. The town had a population of 126,577 at the 2021 Census. Solihull is situated on the River Blythe i ...
, and
succeeded in overturning incumbent John Taylor's 9,407 majority to a 279 majority in her favour.
Following her election, Burt became a Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
, an Opposition Whip, and served on the
Treasury Select Committee
The House of Commons Treasury Committee (often referred to as the Treasury Select Committee) is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The remit of the committee is to examine the expenditure, administr ...
. Following the election of Sir
Menzies Campbell
Walter Menzies Campbell, Baron Campbell of Pittenweem, (; born 22 May 1941), often known as Ming Campbell, is a British Liberal Democrat politician, advocate and former athlete. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for North East Fife from ...
to the leadership of the party in 2006, Burt became the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Small Business and Women and Equality. In 2007 she moved to become the Spokesperson 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
John Archibald Sinclair, 3rd Viscount Thurso (born 10 September 1953), known also as John Thurso, is a Scottish businessman, Liberal Democrat politician and hereditary peer who is notable for having served in the House of Lords both before and ...
and
Andrew George in a poll of MPs.
In the
2010 general election, boundary changes had made her seat notionally Conservative. She held Solihull by 175 votes over her Conservative opponent
Maggie Throup
Margaret Ann Throup (born 27 January 1957) is a British Conservative Party politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Erewash in Derbyshire since the 2015 general election. Prior to entering politics, Throup worked as a biom ...
.
In 2013 Burt was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to Danny Alexander, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Upon taking this new role she resigned from her positions as BIS Co-Chair and Chair of the Parliamentary Party.
In April 2014 she was appointed the government's Ambassador for Women in Enterprise.
In November 2014 Burt was appointed to be an Assistant Government Whip.
She lost her seat to the Conservative
Julian Knight in the
2015 General Election. Burt and her supporters were criticised for pushing away reporters as she left her election count following her defeat.
She was announced as a new peer in the
2015 Dissolution Honours and on the afternoon of 9 October she was created Baroness Burt of Solihull, ''of
Solihull
Solihull (, or ) is a market town and the administrative centre of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in West Midlands County, England. The town had a population of 126,577 at the 2021 Census. Solihull is situated on the River Blythe i ...
in the
County of West Midlands''.
Campaigns
Burt has campaigned on a number of issues both locally and nationally. Locally, she has campaigned to prevent Shirley parkland from being developed, to save Solihull's NHS Walk-In Centre, to save Shirley Library from closure and for a better ambulance service.
Personal life
Burt is married to Richard, who himself has been a Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate several times, and has a daughter and a stepson.
She is an honorary associate of the
National Secular Society
The National Secular Society (NSS) is a British campaigning organisation that promotes secularism and the separation of church and state. It holds that no one should gain advantage or disadvantage because of their religion or lack of it. It was ...
and a Vice Chair of the
All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group
All-Party Groups (APGs) within United Kingdom politics are informal, cross-party, interest groups of the UK Parliament. APGs have at least 20 members who are all Members of the House of Commons and House of Lords. The All-Party Parliamentary H ...
.
See also
*
Liberal Democrat Frontbench Team
References
External links
Lorely Burt MPofficial constituency site
Lorely Burtofficial Liberal Democrats profile
Solihull Liberal Democrats*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Burt, Lorely
1954 births
Alumni of Swansea University
Alumni of the Open University
Female members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies
Councillors in the West Midlands (county)
Life peeresses created by Elizabeth II
Liberal Democrats (UK) life peers
Liberal Democrats (UK) MPs for English constituencies
Living people
UK MPs 2005–2010
UK MPs 2010–2015
21st-century British women politicians
Liberal Democrats (UK) councillors
Women councillors in England