Julian Huppert | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Member of Parliament for Cambridge | |
In office 6 May 2010 –30 March 2015 | |
Preceded by | David Howarth |
Succeeded by | Daniel Zeichner |
Lib Dem Group Leader on Cambridgeshire County Council | |
In office October 2004 –May 2007 | |
Preceded by | Sal Brinton |
Succeeded by | David Jenkins |
Cambridgeshire County Councillor for East Chesterton | |
In office 3 May 2001 –4 June 2009 | |
Preceded by | T O'Del |
Succeeded by | Siep Wijsenbeek |
Personal details | |
Born | Julian Leon Huppert 21 July 1978 [1] |
Citizenship | United Kingdom,United States |
Political party | Liberal Democrats |
Spouse | Dr Caroline Wright [1] |
Parents |
|
Alma mater | University of Cambridge (MSci, PhD) |
Website | www |
Awards | Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry [2] |
Scientific career | |
Thesis | Studies on genomic G-quadruplexes (2005) |
Doctoral advisor | Shankar Balasubramanian [3] |
Julian Leon Huppert [5] (born 21 July 1978) [1] is a British politician who served as Member of Parliament for Cambridge from 2010 to 2015. A member of the Liberal Democrat party, he had previously served as a member of the Cambridgeshire County Council for East Chesterton.
Huppet succeeded David Howarth, who stood down after one term as an MP. [6] At the 2015 general election he lost the seat to Daniel Zeichner of the Labour Party by 599 votes, and failed to retake it at the 2017 general election.
Huppert is the son of the Australian-born geophysicist Herbert Huppert and the psychologist Felicia Huppert. He was born in the United States, and moved to Cambridge when he was three months old. [7] He had a Jewish upbringing, and his family attended Beth Shalom Reform Synagogue in Cambridge. [8] However, he has stated that he is an atheist. [9]
After attending the Perse School in Cambridge, Huppert spent a year at Sydney Grammar School in Australia, winning a silver medal at the International Chemistry Olympiad in 1995. [10] [11] At Trinity College, Cambridge, he completed a Master of Science degree in 2000, followed by a PhD in Biological Chemistry in 2005 [12] supervised by Shankar Balasubramanian. [2] [3]
After his PhD, Huppert was elected a Junior Research Fellow of Trinity College in 2004, and became a fellow of Clare College, Cambridge in 2009, where the previous Cambridge Liberal Democrat MP, David Howarth, was a member. He worked as a research scientist studying the structures of DNA as well as tutoring students. [13]
On returning to academic life in 2015, Huppert lectured on science and technology policy at the Cavendish Laboratory, and in 2016 was appointed as the founding director [14] of a new centre, the Intellectual Forum, based at Jesus College.
During his eight years serving as a County Councillor on Cambridgeshire County Council for Cambridge's East Chesterton area, [15] Huppert helped open Brown's Field Community Centre, chaired the Cambridge Traffic Management Committee and served on the Regional Assembly.[ citation needed ] His interests in internationalism, the UN and human rights led him to a position on the National Council of Liberty, formerly the National Council for Civil Liberties, from 2009 to 2011. [16]
Huppert unsuccessfully contested Huntingdon at the 2005 general election, before winning the Cambridge seat in the 2010 general election.
Huppert has stated that he wanted to get involved in politics because he believes in "a free, fair and open society, where nobody should be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity." [17] In an interview with the BBC's Today programme shortly after his election as an MP, Huppert stated, regarding negotiations with the Conservative party on possible deals to form a coalition, that whilst he found it "very hard to see how a deal could leave out electoral reform [...] if we got all the rest of our manifesto I'd probably live with that". [18]
As an MP, Huppert proposed a bill to prevent the demolition or change of use of pubs or independent shops without planning permission under the Ten Minute Rule in 2012 [19] but the proposals failed to make any further progress. In 2013–14 he was an active supporter of and signatory to the Fair Deal For Your Local campaign, [20] which would be the coalition government's only defeat on a legislative vote.
Huppert was involved in a number of All-party parliamentary groups, being joint chair of the Cycling Group, [21] and a vice chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group, [22] the Refugees group, [23] and the Local Government group. [24] He also sat on the Home Affairs Select Committee. [25]
Huppert expressed disappointment at the lack of scientific understanding amongst MPs. [26] Although he was described by Cambridge Liberal Democrats [27] and The Independent newspaper [28] as "the only scientist" in the House of Commons, in November 2012, Huppert acknowledged other scientists in the House of Commons saying: "Although it has been said that I am the only scientist in the House, that is sadly not true. I am one of two Members with a science PhD and I went on to do research, but there are other scientists in the House and it always a great pleasure to have them here." [29]
In June 2013 he told the BBC that he complained of bullying in the Commons after being greeted by collective groans and shouts of "Oh no" when he rose to his feet in the house. [30] [31]
When the Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader stepped down to take a ministerial post, Huppert was talked about as a possible contender for the post. [32]
As co-chair of the all party parliamentary cycling group, Huppert helped to produce the report on the future of cycling in Britain, ‘Get Britain Cycling’, in 2013. [33]
Also in 2013, Huppert secured a debate on Education Funding in Cambridgeshire, [34] which resulted in Cambridgeshire schools receiving an extra £23.2 million in government funding, £2.7 million more than originally expected. [35] In 2014, he presented a bill to parliament to improve conditions for those in the private rented sector. [36] Huppert also co-sponsored the International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Bill, [37] which enshrined in law a commitment by the UK to spend 0.7% of its gross national income (GNI) on aid every year. [38]
Huppert is a cycling safety campaigner and organised [39] and spoke [40] at a parliamentary debate on the subject, as well as passing a motion at the 2013 Liberal Democrat Conference on the subject. [41] His support of the principle of "proportionate liability" has led to debate in his Cambridge Constituency [42] [43] and nationally. Huppert was named one of the most influential people in UK cycling by the magazine Bikebiz [44] and was awarded road safety organisation Brake's Road Safety award in March 2013 for his campaign on 20 mph speed limits. [45]
Huppert criticised the decision [46] of the competition commission to force Cineworld [47] to sell the Cambridge Arts Picturehouse. [48] He took up the issue in Parliament, claiming the competition commissions should be looking into other monopolies in Cambridge: "To be frank, I start to wonder what the value of the Competition Commission is. In Cambridge we have two big problems with monopoly – Stagecoach’s control of the buses, and Tesco’s control of the supermarkets." [49] He gained the support of the then leader of the house, Andrew Lansley, [50] who represented the neighbouring constituency of South Cambridgeshire.
In November 2014, Huppet launched a campaign [51] to persuade the County Council to invest more in Cambridge's pavements, highlighting the effect even minor damage has on disabled people.
Huppert also campaigned for additional funding for Cambridge schools, which received less per student than anywhere else in the country. [52] [53]
Huppert was nominated the most impressive new Liberal Democrat MP elected in the 2010 election by a party website. [54] Huppert's performance has also been highlighted in a number of publications [55] [56] [57] and he was named as the top backbencher in the Telegraph's list of "Most influential Lib Dems". [58]
Huppert was awarded the "Internet Hero of the year award" by the Internet Service Providers Association for his involvement in the campaign against the Draft Communications Data Bill, also known as the "Snooper's Charter". [59]
Huppert was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. [2] [ when? ]
Sir Simon Henry Ward Hughes is a British former politician. He is now the Chancellor of London South Bank University, and a strategic adviser to Talgo, a Spanish manufacturer of trains. Hughes was deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats from 2010 to 2014, and from 2013 until 2015 was Minister of State at the Ministry of Justice. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of Bermondsey and Old Southwark from 1983 until 2015. He declined a position in the House of Lords in 2015.
John David Pugh is a British Liberal Democrat politician. He was the Member of Parliament for Southport from 2001 to 2017. He stood down at the 2017 snap election. In November 2017, he was elected to Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council as a councillor for Duke's Ward.
Sir Nicholas William Peter Clegg is a British media executive and former politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2015 and as Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 2007 to 2015. He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Sheffield Hallam from 2005 to 2017. An "Orange Book" liberal, he has been associated with both socially liberal and economically liberal policies.
Lorely Jane Burt, Baroness Burt of Solihull is a British politician, who was the Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Solihull from 2005 to 2015. She received a life peerage in the 2015 Dissolution Honours. She is a patron of Humanists UK.
Sarah Virginia Brinton, Baroness Brinton, known as Sal Brinton, is a British politician who served as president of the Liberal Democrats from 2015 to 2020. In November 2010 she was nominated to the House of Lords, taking her place on 10 February 2011 having been created Baroness Brinton, of Kenardington in the County of Kent on 4 February. After Jo Swinson lost her seat at the 2019 general election, Brinton and Sir Ed Davey became acting co-leaders of the Liberal Democrats. After Brinton's term as party president ended, her successor Mark Pack also succeeded her as acting co-leader with Davey. Davey was elected as permanent leader of the party in 2020.
Jeremy Richard Browne is a British Liberal Democrat politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Taunton Deane from 2005 to 2015. He served as both Minister of State for Europe and the Americas and Minister of State for Crime Prevention.
Timothy James Farron is a British politician who served as Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 2015 to 2017. He was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Westmorland and Lonsdale in 2005 and is the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Before entering politics, he worked in higher education.
Robert Charles Douglas Flello is a British Liberal Democrat politician who was Labour Member of Parliament (MP) for Stoke-on-Trent South from 2005 to 2017. He lost his seat at the 2017 general election to Conservative Party candidate Jack Brereton.
Cambridge University Liberal Association (CULA) is the student branch of the Liberal Democrats for students at Cambridge University.
Sir Graham Frank James Bright was a British politician and businessman. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1979 to 1997. He subsequently served as the Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner from 2012 to 2016.
Layla Michelle Moran is a British Liberal Democrat politician serving as the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and International Development since 2020, and serving as the Member of Parliament for Oxford West and Abingdon since 2017.
Sarah Brown is a transgender activist and former Liberal Democrat politician. She was the Cambridge City Councillor for Petersfield ward between 2010 and 2014, serving as Executive Councillor for Community Wellbeing since 2013 and served as a member of the LGBT+ Liberal Democrats executive. She is a trans woman and, for several years, was the only openly transgender elected politician in the UK. In 2011, she appeared on the Independent on Sunday "Pink List" as the 28th most influential LGBT person in the UK, dropping to 34th in the 2012 list, but rising again to 27th in the 2013 list.
The Audiovisual Media Services Regulations 2014 is a statutory instrument of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that applies regulations to R18-rated pornography that is available through paid video on demand or other streaming platforms. Prior to the regulations coming into force, neither Ofcom nor the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) had jurisdiction over such content. In force from 1 December 2014, these regulations were made by the Secretary of State in exercise of the powers conferred by section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972.
Daniel Stephen Zeichner is a British Labour Party politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Cambridge since 2015.
The 2015 Liberal Democrats leadership election was held on 16 July 2015 following the resignation of Nick Clegg as leader on 8 May 2015, after almost eight years as leader of the Liberal Democrats, following the party's poor performance at the 2015 general election.
Heidi Suzanne Allen is a British businesswoman and former politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for South Cambridgeshire from 2015 to 2019. Initially elected as a Conservative, she resigned from the party in February 2019, joining and later serving as acting leader of Change UK. She resigned from Change UK in June of the same year, and joined the Liberal Democrats in October 2019. She announced on 29 October of that year that she would not stand for re-election at the next general election.
Liberal Reform is a group of members of the British Liberal Democrats. Membership of the group is open to any Liberal Democrat member, and is free of charge. It was launched on 13 February 2012, and describes itself as a broadly centrist group that seeks to promote 'four-cornered liberalism' within the party. Each 'corner' consists respectively of economic, social, personal and political liberalism, mirroring the opening chapter of The Orange Book by David Laws. It states that it accepts that virtually all Liberal Democrats believe in four-cornered liberalism, but emphasises its belief that economic liberalism, consisting of the promotion of open markets, competition and free trade, "has to be a key component of modern liberalism". Liberal Reform organises a number of fringe events at the twice-per-year Liberal Democrat Conference.
The 2019 Liberal Democrats leadership election was held following the announcement of the resignation of Vince Cable as leader on 24 May 2019, after just under two years as leader of the Liberal Democrats in the United Kingdom. The two candidates to succeed Cable were Ed Davey and Jo Swinson.
The 2020 Liberal Democrats leadership election was held in August 2020, after Jo Swinson, the previous leader of the Liberal Democrats, lost her seat in the 2019 general election. It was initially set to be held in July 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic it was delayed by six weeks, having been at first postponed until May 2021.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty |title=
(help){{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)