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Helen Morgan (politician)

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Helen Morgan
MP
Member of Parliament
for North Shropshire
Incumbent
Assumed office
16 December 2021
Preceded byOwen Paterson
Majority5,925 (15.6%)
Personal details
Born
Helen Margaret Lilian Halcrow

Template:Nottinghamshire births index Apr/May/Jun 1975
Political partyLiberal Democrats
Children1
Alma materTrinity College, Cambridge
Websitewww.helenmorgan.org.uk Edit this at Wikidata

Helen Margaret Lilian Morgan (née Halcrow; born Template:1975) is a British Liberal Democrat politician and chartered accountant who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Shropshire since 2021. Morgan is the first Liberal Democrat to represent the constituency, which had previously been a Conservative safe seat. She is also the constituency's first female MP.

Early life and education

Morgan was born in 1975[1] and raised in the rural West Midlands. She read history at Trinity College, Cambridge,[2] and graduated Bachelor of Arts in 1996.[3]

Career

Career outside politics

Morgan is a chartered accountant, and before being elected to Parliament she was working as financial controller for a real estate business based in North Shropshire. Her previous experience had included posts of head of margin forecasting at British Gas, head of financial reporting at Centrica and audit manager at KPMG.[4]

Political career before Westminster

Morgan began her career in politics as a parish councillor. She later stood for the North Shropshire seat in the 2019 United Kingdom general election, where she won 10% of the overall vote and finished third.[4]

On 6 May 2021, Morgan was a Liberal Democrat candidate in the 2021 Shropshire Council election and was narrowly beaten by a Conservative in an electoral division called The Meres.[5]

By-election

Morgan won the North Shropshire by-election held on 16 December 2021.[6][7][8] The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Owen Paterson. Paterson resigned from parliament after he was found to have lobbied on behalf of Randox, which paid him more than £100,000 a year as a consultant, and was awarded government COVID-19 contracts worth £600 million without competitive bidding.[9] The Financial Times described the by-election campaign as "dominated by criticism of the prime minister" after Boris Johnson's "botched attempt to save Paterson opened up accusations of tolerating 'sleaze' in his government."[10]

The Liberal Democrats campaigned on the issue of what they called "Tory sleaze"[11][12] and, in her victory speech, Morgan attacked Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the government as being "run on lies and bluster", highlighting the examples of the Westminster Christmas parties controversy and Downing Street refurbishment controversy and stating that they there should have been more focus on improving healthcare in Shropshire and helping the farming community in the constituency.[13] Morgan interpreted her victory as the North Shropshire voters saying Boris Johnson is not fit to lead.[14] She also said it was the North Shropshire voters speaking on behalf of the British people and that Johnson's government will be held accountable, challenged and could be defeated.[8]

Personal life

Away from politics and her financial career, Morgan has run half-marathons to raise money for numerous charities and has volunteered as a trustee for a local nursery.[7] Morgan married in 2003 and has a son. The family live in Harmer Hill,[15] having moved to North Shropshire in 2014.[2] Her parents and sister also live in Shropshire.[16]

References

  1. ^ Quadri, Sami (17 December 2021). "Who is North Shropshire's new MP Helen Morgan?". Evening Standard. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Helen Morgan stands for Lib Dems in North Shropshire". Lib Dem Voice. Retrieved 17 December 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ Cambridge University List of Members. University of Cambridge. 1998. p. 324.
  4. ^ a b Flett, David (17 December 2021). "Who is new North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan?". Nottingham Live. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  5. ^ "Unitary results - May 6 2021". Shropshire Council. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  6. ^ "North Shropshire: Lib Dems shock win as Tory by-election defeat piles pressure on Johnson". Sky News. 17 December 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  7. ^ a b Flett, David (17 December 2021). "Who is North Shropshire's new MP Helen Morgan?". WalesOnline.
  8. ^ a b "Tories lose North Shropshire seat they held for nearly 200 years". BBC News. 17 December 2021.
  9. ^ Elgot, Jessica; Evans, Rob (17 November 2021). "Government 'unable to locate' note of Owen Paterson meeting with minister". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  10. ^ Parker, George (17 December 2021). "Boris Johnson suffers crushing blow as Lib Dems win North Shropshire by-election". Financial Times.
  11. ^ "Challenging Tory sleaze in the North Shropshire by-election". Liberal Democrats. 5 November 2021.
  12. ^ Craig, Jon (17 December 2021). "North Shropshire: Why Boris Johnson should be worried by disastrous by-election defeat". Sky News.
  13. ^ "'Common sense at the ballot box': Lib Dem Helen Morgan's victory speech – video". The Guardian. 17 December 2021.
  14. ^ White, Barry (17 December 2021). "North Shropshire: Helen Morgan's victory speech in full". Oswestry & Border Counties Advertizer. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  15. ^ "Meet Helen". Helen Morgan. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  16. ^ "Who is North Shropshire's new MP Helen Morgan?". ITV News. 17 December 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for North Shropshire
2021–present 		Incumbent
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