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'{{Infobox MP | honorific-prefix = | name = John Hemming | honorific-suffix = [[Member of Parliament|MP]] | image = John Hemming Parliament.jpg | constituency_MP = [[Birmingham Yardley (UK Parliament constituency)|Birmingham Yardley]] | majority = 3,002 (7.3%) | term_start = 6 May 2005 | term_end = | predecessor = [[Estelle Morris]] | successor = Incumbent | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1960|03|16|df=yes}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | nationality = [[United Kingdom|British]] | spouse = | party = [[Liberal Democrats|Liberal Democrat]] | relations = | children = | residence = | alma_mater = [[Magdalen College, Oxford]] | occupation = | profession = | religion = | signature = | website = | footnotes = }} '''John Alexander Melvin Hemming''' (born 16 March 1960) is a [[United Kingdom|British]] [[politician]], the [[Member of Parliament]] for [[Birmingham Yardley (UK Parliament constituency)|Birmingham Yardley]] and Group Chair of the [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] on the city council of [[Birmingham]], [[England]]. Hemming was until 1 May 2008 an elected councillor for the [[South Yardley]] Ward. In 2005, he was elected as Member of Parliament for Birmingham Yardley. He is the first Liberal or Liberal Democrat to win a parliamentary seat in Birmingham since [[Wallace Lawler]] won in [[Birmingham Ladywood (UK Parliament constituency)|Birmingham Ladywood]] in 1969. In 2004, Hemming became deputy leader of Birmingham City Council in a deal where the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats shared control of the City Council. He stood down from this position on his election to parliament in 2005. In 2007 he became Liberal Democrat Spokesman for the West Midlands and returned to lead the West Midlands Liberal Democrat team of spokespeople with Lorely Burt MP as the Deputy Leader. ==Early life== Hemming was educated at [[King Edward's School, Birmingham]], where he won the Rickard Prize for Arithmetic and was a Scholar specialising in Theoretical, Atomic and Nuclear Physics at [[Magdalen College, Oxford]], where he showed an early interest in politics, standing as the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]] candidate for Secretary of the [[Oxford University Student Union]]. He was beaten into fourth place by the 'Silly Party' candidate - the pet dog of the master of [[St Catherine's College, Oxford]].<ref name="student">John Hemming, [http://johnhemming.blogspot.com/2005/04/my-record-as-student-politician.html My record as a student politician], 12 April 2005, accessed 10 July 2007</ref> ==Business career== Hemming is a director of JHC plc, a provider of software applications and related services for the securities industry. Their products include trading, asset management and settlement systems for brokers and investment managers. In 2009 Hemming was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for his work with the company.<ref>[http://www.systemsinthecity.co.uk/awards2009.htm] Systems in the City Awards 2009</ref> In 1997, Hemming also set up his own record company, Music Mercia International.<ref>[http://theyworkforyou.com/mp/john_hemming/birmingham,_yardley Register of Members' Interests on ''TheyWorkForYou''], accessed 10 July 2007</ref> ==Political career== Hemming was first elected to Birmingham City Council in 1990, in [[Acocks Green ward]]. He moved to the South Yardley ward following boundary changes in 2004. He ceased to be a member of Birmingham City Council following the elections on the 1 May 2008 when he did not run for re-election. He has fought a number of general elections: in 1983 ([[Birmingham Hall Green (UK Parliament constituency)|Hall Green]]), 1987 ([[Birmingham Small Heath (UK Parliament constituency)|Small Heath]]) and 1992, 1997 and 2001 ([[Birmingham Yardley (UK Parliament constituency)|Yardley]]) before winning in 2005. He was re-elected in 2010, with a slightly increased majority.<ref>[http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/general-election-2010 Birmingham City Council: General Election 2010]</ref> Hemming is a member of the [[Beveridge Group]].<ref>[http://www.beveridgegroup.org.uk/about-us/about-us.html About us] - ''[[Beveridge Group|The Beveridge Group]]'' 2007-10-28</ref> He won the "Reform" maths prize.<ref>[http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/jon-walker/2008/10/28/guarded-backing-for-minister-97319-22136194/] John Hemming wins Reform Contest</ref> [[File:John Hemming.jpg|thumb|right|180px|John Hemming at a rally in support of [[Hartismere]] hospital]] Following [[Charles Kennedy]]'s announcement that he would resign as leader of the Liberal Democrats, Hemming announced on his weblog that he was taking soundings as to whether to stand. When Kennedy subsequently resigned, Hemming said that he would stand to ensure there was a contest. Hemming was a rank outsider in the contest (some betting odds were in excess of 400-1). ''The Times'' reported that he was "an eccentric who left colleagues aghast by threatening to stand".<ref>Greg Hurst, [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,17129-1983000,00.html Party contenders set out their stalls], ''[[Times Online]]'', [[13 January]] [[2006]], accessed [[10 July]] [[2007]]</ref> On 13 January 2006, Hemming withdrew his candidature, saying that Lib Dem members did not believe he should stand.<ref>John Hemming, [http://johnhemming.blogspot.com/2006/01/members-back-hemming.html Members back Hemming], [[13 January]] [[2006]], accessed [[10 July]] [[2007]]</ref> He was a nominator for [[Mark Oaten]], but said he would be willing to do the same for any serious candidate. He subsequently declared for the eventual winner, [[Menzies Campbell|Sir Menzies Campbell]]. On 6 December 2010 Hemming's [[constituency]] office was temporarily closed by the police due to a the presence of three students inside and five outside with a banner. The students were not restricting access to the public and stated that they were there to remind Hemmings about his election pledge to vote against a rise in [[tuition fees]]. Hemmings said he was considering voting in favour of the proposed fees increase so as not to "reward" the behaviour of some protesters, despite the effect it would have on his re-election chances.<ref>Student fees protest at Lib Dem John Hemming's office - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-11928867</ref> He did so.<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11964669</ref> Hemming chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group on Peak Oil and Gas (APPGOPO), a parliamentary group looking at the issues of fossil fuel depletion.<ref>[http://www.appgopo.org.uk/] All Party Parliamentary Group on Peak Oil and Gas website</ref> He is a opponent of [[superinjunction|super]]- and [[superinjunction|hyper-injunctions]],<ref>[http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm110317/halltext/110317h0001.htm]</ref> and in March 2011, used [[parliamentary privilege]] to reveal the existence of a super-injunction granted to former [[Royal Bank of Scotland Group|Royal Bank of Scotland]] chief [[Fred Goodwin|Sir Fred Goodwin]] during a meeting of the House of Commons.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2011/03/11/uk_court_ex_rbs_chief_cant_be_called_a_banker/|newspaper=Boston Globe|agency=Associated Press|location=London|title=UK court: ex-RBS chief can't be called a banker|last=Barr|first=Robert|date=March 11, 2011|accessdate=April 27, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/8375272/Sir-Fred-Goodwin-RBS-chief-takes-out-gagging-order.html|title=Sir Fred Goodwin, RBS chief, takes out gagging order|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|first=Steven|last=Swinford|date=March 11, 2011|accessdate=April 27, 2011}}</ref> Following an incident in May 2011 in which the names of celebrities who had allegedly taken out superinjunctions were revealed on [[Twitter]], he commented: “There is a lot to learn from the USA where freedom of speech is enshrined in their constitution. Where the courts are trying to keep state secrets and Twitter is on the other end, Twitter will win."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/05/10/cheating-celebrities-hiding-behind-injunctions-named-on-twitter-115875-23119572/|newspaper=[[Daily Mirror]]|location=London|title=Cheating celebrities hiding behind injunctions named on Twitter|last=Collins|first=David|date=May 10, 2011|accessdate=May 10, 2011}}</ref> On 23 May 2011 during a Commons session he mentioned [[Ryan Giggs]] as the footballer involved with one superinjunction. <ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/blog/2011/may/23/politics-live-blog|newspaper=The Guardian|location=London|title=Live blog - May 23|date=May 23, 2011|accessdate=May 23, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13503847|title=Ryan Giggs named by MP as injunction footballer|publication=BBC News|date=2011-05-23|accessdate=2011-05-23}}</ref> ==Expenses== Hemming took out a mortgage of £200,000 on his flat in London which is taxpayer subsidised through the Second Home Allowance to pay off a loan on one of his business premises.<ref name="dailymail.co.uk">[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1328895/Love-cheat-MP-John-Hemmings-200k-loan-paid-YOU.html How millionaire love cheat MP at centre of stolen cat mystery took out £200k loan paid for by YOU], ''[[The Daily Mail]]'', 12 November 2010, accessed 15 December 2010</ref><ref name="birminghampost.net">[http://www.birminghampost.net/news/politics-news/2010/11/11/millionaire-birmingham-mp-defends-paying-off-office-mortgage-with-expenses-65233-27646163/ Millionaire Birmingham MP defends paying off office mortgage with expenses], ''[[The Birmingham Post]]'', 11 November 2010, accessed 20 May 2011</ref> ==Extramarital affairs== Shortly after his election in 2005, he made headlines when it was revealed that he was the father of a child with his personal assistant and fellow councillor Emily Cox, though he would stay with his wife and her three children. His wife Christine commented that she forgave him and is standing by him, as he has always been honest about his extramarital affairs, of which she said this was "about number 26".<ref>Nick Britten, [http://web.archive.org/web/20070313093456/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/06/18/nhemm18.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/06/18/ixhome.html My lover is pregnant, MP tells his wife], ''[[Daily Telegraph]]'', 18 June 2005, accessed 10 July 2007</ref><ref>[http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=16566442&method=full&siteid=94762&headline=vote-libido-dem---name_page.html VOTE LIBIDO DEM!], ''[[The Daily Mirror]]'', 10 January 2006, accessed 10 July 2007</ref> Following the publication of details of the affairs, Hemming voted for himself for the ''News of the World'''s 'Love Rat of the Year' competition.<ref>[http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2005460808,00.html MP bid for Love Rat prize], ''[[The Sun (newspaper)|The Sun]]'', accessed 18 September 2007</ref> In 2010, his wife appeared in court charged with stealing his mistresses' cat.<ref name="dailymail.co.uk">[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1328895/Love-cheat-MP-John-Hemmings-200k-loan-paid-YOU.html How millionaire love cheat MP at centre of stolen cat mystery took out £200k loan paid for by YOU], ''[[The Daily Mail]]'', 10 January 2006, accessed 15 December 2010</ref> Pleading "not guilty" on 7 February 2011, she was bailed and sent for trial in June.<ref>Helen Carter [http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/feb/07/mps-wife-court-kitten-theft "MP's wife sent for trial on kitten 'theft'"], ''The Guardian'' 7 February 2011</ref> ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *[http://john.hemming.name/ John Hemming MP] ''official constituency website'' *[http://www.libdems.org.uk/people/john-hemming Profile] at the Liberal Democrat Party *[http://johnhemming.blogspot.com/ John Hemming's blog] *[http://web.archive.org/web/20070930224121/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=17181&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=1300 Councillor John Hemming MP] at Birmingham City Council *[http://www.birminghamlibdems.org.uk/ Birmingham Liberal Democrats] *{{MPLinksUK | hansard = mr-john-hemming | guardian = 8896/john-hemming | publicwhip = John_Hemming | theywork = john_hemming | record = John-Hemming/Birmingham-Yardley/1098 }} *[http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/representatives/profiles/31572.stm John Hemming MP] at ''[[BBC News]]'' Democracy Live *[http://www.jhc.co.uk/ JHC] business website *[http://www.saffroncomputers.com/ Saffron Computers Ltd] JHC Figaro Specialists *[http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmtoday/cmdebate/03.htm] Hansard {{S-start}} {{s-par|uk}} {{incumbent succession box | title = [[Member of Parliament]] for [[Birmingham Yardley (UK Parliament constituency)|Birmingham Yardley]] | start = [[United Kingdom general election, 2005|2005]] | before = [[Estelle Morris]] }} {{S-end}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2010}} {{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. --> | NAME =Hemming, John | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = | DATE OF BIRTH =16 March 1960 | PLACE OF BIRTH = | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = }} {{DEFAULTSORT:Hemming, John}} [[Category:Liberal Democrat (UK) MPs]] [[Category:Members of the United Kingdom Parliament for English constituencies]] [[Category:UK MPs 2005–2010]] [[Category:UK MPs 2010–]] [[Category:Councillors in Birmingham, West Midlands]] [[Category:Alumni of Magdalen College, Oxford]] [[Category:1960 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham]] [[la:Ioannes Hemming]]'