Jo Swinson
Joanne Kate Swinson CBE FRSA (born 5 February 1980) is a British former politician who was Leader of the Liberal Democrats from July to December 2019. She was the first woman and the youngest person to hold the position, as well as the shortest-serving holder of the post. Swinson was Member of Parliament (MP) for East Dunbartonshire from 2005 to 2015 and 2017 to 2019. In September 2020 Swinson became Director of Partners for a New Economy (P4NE).[3]
Jo Swinson
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Swinson studied at the London School of Economics, and briefly worked in public relations, before being elected to the House of Commons, becoming the youngest MP at the time.[4] She was a Liberal Democrat Spokesperson covering various portfolios, including Scotland, Women and Equalities, Communities and Local Government, and Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.[5]
In 2010, after the Liberal Democrats entered into a coalition government with the Conservative Party, Swinson was a Parliamentary Private Secretary to Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, and was later appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Employment Relations and Postal Affairs.[6] She lost her seat in the 2015 election, but regained it in the snap election held two years later. Shortly after returning to Parliament, she was elected unopposed as Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats.[7] In July 2019, following the retirement of Vince Cable, Swinson defeated Ed Davey in a leadership election to become Leader of the Liberal Democrats.
Swinson led her party through the 2019 general election shortly afterwards, suggesting she could lead a Liberal Democrat majority government which would revoke Article 50 and cancel Brexit. Instead, Swinson and the Liberal Democrats sustained a net loss in seats, including her own to the Scottish National Party[8][9][10] and was disqualified from continuing as party leader.[11] At less than five months, her tenure as leader was the shortest in the Liberal Democrats' history. She is also the only incumbent Liberal Democrat leader to have lost a Parliamentary seat.
Early life and education[edit]
Swinson was born in Glasgow[2] on 5 February 1980, the daughter of Peter and Annette Swinson.[12] She was educated at Douglas Academy,[13] a mixed state school in the town of Milngavie in East Dunbartonshire in western Scotland, followed by the London School of Economics, where she studied Management, gaining a first-class Bachelor of Science degree in 2000.[14] She signed up as an active member of the Liberal Democrats at the age of 17.[4]
Early career[edit]
After graduating from the London School of Economics, Swinson moved to Yorkshire and worked for Ace Visual and Sound Systems in Thorne, before becoming a marketing and public relations manager for Hull-based commercial radio station Viking FM from December 2000,[15][16] and media company Space and People.[17]
At the age of 21, Swinson stood unsuccessfully in the Kingston upon Hull East constituency in the 2001 general election, but gained a 6% swing from John Prescott, then the Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. In 2003, she unsuccessfully contested Strathkelvin and Bearsden seat in the Scottish Parliament election, finishing third with 14% of the vote.[15]
Recent work[edit]
In July 2020, Swinson accepted a position as Visiting Professor at Cranfield School of Management in Bedfordshire.[129] In September 2020, she became Director of Partners for a New Economy (P4NE).[3]
Personal life[edit]
On 13 May 2011, Swinson married then fellow Liberal Democrat MP Duncan Hames.[130] The couple's first child, Andrew, was born in December 2013.[131] A second son, Gabriel, was born in June 2018.[101] Swinson gave birth to the couple's third son, Robin, on 28 July 2023.[132]
Swinson completed the Loch Ness Marathon in 2007, the 2011 London Marathon and the inaugural Stirling Scottish Marathon in 2017.[133] Through this, she has raised money for the Anaphylaxis Campaign and Bloodwise.[134][135] She ran the London Landmarks Half Marathon in March 2019 in memory of her father, who had died of blood cancer the previous year.[136]
Having a peanut allergy,[137] Swinson sustained anaphylactic shock in May 2013 after eating a biscuit containing nuts in Glasgow. She collapsed with breathing difficulty, recovering on administration of adrenaline, and an overnight stay in hospital.[138]
Swinson was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2018 New Year Honours for political and public service.[139] On receiving the honour, Swinson said she was privileged "to be listed among so many remarkable people from all walks of life, making amazing contributions right across our country".[140]
Swinson is a humanist[141] and is a member of the humanist charity Humanists UK.[142]