Cane moved around growing up as her father was in the army, while her mother was a teacher.
She was privately educated at St Helen's School,[1] before studying ancient history and archaeology at the University of Birmingham, where she met her husband. The couple worked together as field archaeologists, but due to financial circumstances, Cane retrained as a chartered accountant.[2]
At the time of the general election campaign, Cane had retired from her finance positions which had latterly been in the third sector.[3]
Political career
Local council
Cane was elected unopposed to East Cambridgeshire District Council in 1999 representing The Swaffhams.[4] retaining her seat four years later.[5] The following year she resigned her seat and the by-election resulted in a gain by the Conservatives.[6][7]
By 2011, Cane had returned to Cambridgeshire politics, standing unsuccessfully for East Cambridgeshire District in The Swaffhams and coming second to the incumbent Conservative. She stood again in 2015, also coming second.[6] This ward was abolished in 2019 and Cane stood successfully in Bottisham ward topping the poll in a two-member seat.[8] She successfully defended her council seat in 2023.[9]
Cane twice stood unsuccessfully for Cambridgeshire County Council in Burwell ward in 2017[10] and 2021,[11] coming second on each occasion.
In November 2014, Cane joined Reach, Cambridgeshire Parish Council.[12] She stood down from this during the summer of 2024.[13]
As of 6 November 2024, more than four months since her election, she became the 319th out of 332 new MPs to make a maiden speech and last of the Liberal Democrat intake.[19][20][21] She opened her speech with a reference to the former Liberal MP Clement Freud and closed it with thanks to her family, her agent, and porridge.[22]
On 29 November 2024, Cane voted in favour of the historic Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.[23]
Personal life
In 1994, Cane moved to Reach, Cambridgeshire, for an arts charity job, where she later raised her two children.[2]
