Stephen David John Gilbert (born 6 November 1976) is a British Liberal Democrat politician. He was elected at the 2010 general election the Member of Parliament (MP) for the new constituency of St Austell and Newquay, but lost his seat at the 2015 general election to the Conservative Party candidate Steve Double. He now teaches politics at

Highgate School Highgate School, formally Sir Roger Cholmeley's School at Highgate, is a co-educational, fee-charging, private day school, founded in 1565 in Highgate, London, England. It educates over 1,400 pupils in three sections – Highgate Pre-Preparato ...

, having previously taught history and politics at the

King's School, Worcester The King's School, Worcester is a Private schools in the United Kingdom, private co-educational day school refounded by Henry VIII of England, Henry VIII in 1541. It occupies a site adjacent to Worcester Cathedral on the banks of the River Sev ...

Background

Gilbert was born in

Truro Truro (; ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in Cornwall, England; it is the southernmost city in the United Kingdom, just under west-south-west of Charing Cross in London. It is Cornwall's county town, s ...

Cornwall Cornwall (; or ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is also one of the Celtic nations and the homeland of the Cornish people. The county is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, ...

and was educated at schools in

Lostwithiel Lostwithiel (; ) is a civil parish and small town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom at the head of the estuary of the River Fowey. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 2,739, increasing to 2,899 at the 2011 census. The Lostwi ...

Fowey Fowey ( ; , meaning ''beech trees'') is a port town and civil parishes in England, civil parish at the mouth of the River Fowey in south Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town has been in existence since well before the Norman invasion, ...

and

St Austell Saint Austell (, ; ) is a town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, south of Bodmin and west of the border with Devon. At the 2021 Census in the United Kingdom, census it had a population of 20,900. History St Austell was a village centred ...

. He went on to study International Politics at

University of Wales, Aberystwyth Aberystwyth University () is a public research university in Aberystwyth, Wales. Aberystwyth was a founding member institution of the former federal University of Wales. The university has over 8,000 students studying across three academic facul ...

and completed a master's degree, also in International Politics, at the

London School of Economics The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), established in 1895, is a public research university in London, England, and a member institution of the University of London. The school specialises in the social sciences. Founded ...

. He is a former Restormel Borough Councillor, whose area overlaps considerably with the constituency, and a former Haringey Borough Councillor. Briefly working in the

Westminster Westminster is the main settlement of the City of Westminster in Central London, Central London, England. It extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street and has many famous landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, ...

office of the then Liberal Democrat MP, Lembit Öpik, and he also worked as a public affairs consultant for a financial services company in London. Gilbert was one of 24 openly gay MPs in the House of Commons during the 2010–15 term.

Parliamentary career

He was first elected to Parliament in 2010 as MP for the new constituency of St Austell and Newquay with a majority of 1,312. On being elected, he was appointed to the Select Committee for Communities and Local Government. He has also served as a Junior Government Whip and as chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Housing. In September 2012 he was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Energy & Climate Change Secretary of State

Ed Davey Sir Edward Jonathan Davey (born 25 December 1965) is a British politician who has served as the Leader of the Liberal Democrats, leader of the Liberal Democrat party since 2020. He served in the Cameron–Clegg coalition as Secretary of State ...

. He was also a member of the Public Bill Committee for the Defence Reform Act 2014. In 2013 he helped rescue a woman from the River Thames, throwing a lifebuoy after spotting what he had first thought was a body floating past the House of Commons terrace, as he enjoyed a cigarette.

References

External links

Stephen Gilbert MP
''official website''
Column archives
at the ''Liberal Democrat Voice'' * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gilbert, Steve 1976 births Alumni of Aberystwyth University Alumni of the London School of Economics Councillors in Cornwall People from Truro Councillors in the London Borough of Haringey English gay politicians Liberal Democrats (UK) MPs for English constituencies Liberal Democrats (UK) councillors Living people Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for constituencies in Cornwall UK MPs 2010–2015 LGBTQ members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom British educators