Sarah Gibson (politician)

Sarah Gibson
Official portrait, 2024
Member of Parliament
for Chippenham
Assumed office
4 July 2024
Preceded byMichelle Donelan
Majority8,138 (11.2%)
Liberal Democrat portfolios
2024–presentBusiness
Personal details
BornApril 1966 (age 58)[1]
Political partyLiberal Democrats
Education
Websitechippenhamlibdems.org.uk/sarah-gibson

Sarah Gibson (born April 1966) is a British Liberal Democrat politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Chippenham since the 2024 general election.[2] Before her election to parliament, Gibson was elected to Wiltshire Council in 2017 and 2021.

Early life and career

Gibson attended the comprehensive Ralph Allen School. She graduated with a BA in architecture from Kingston University in 1987 and gained a postgraduate diploma in architecture at University College London's Bartlett School of Architecture and Planning (now The Bartlett) in 1991.[3][4]

Gibson is a director and shareholder, since 2014 and 2016 respectively, of the Bradford-on-Avon architecture firm Labox[5][6] (stylised as LABOX[7]). In December 2022, she began working as a part-time tutor at the University of Bath's Engineering and Architecture department.[8]

According to the Wiltshire Times, "after qualifying as an architect, she set up a practice in Barcelona, before coming back to Wiltshire in 2013."[9]

Political career

Councillor

Gibson was first elected to Wiltshire Council in May 2017 serving the Bradford-on-Avon South division, within the Melksham and Devizes Constituency. She was elected again in May 2021.[10]

As a member of several council committees, including the strategic planning committee, Gibson has voted to refuse applications submitted for the locally controversial[11] £200m Westbury incinerator.[12]

In 2021, Gibson, who was first elected a town councillor in May 2018, served as the mayor of Bradford-on-Avon.[13][14]

2024 general election campaign

During the UK's 2024 general election campaign, in which she was a parliamentary candidate, Gibson represented Liberal Democrats in Wiltshire on a debate programme (released 19 June 2024) for the BBC's Your Voice, Your Vote: Election 2024 series.[15]

She also took part in one of the Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey's election campaign stunts on 3 July 2024. Gibson, Lib Dem activists, and local & national media watched Sir Ed Davey drive a yellow JCB tractor around a Wiltshire field vowing to knock down the blue wall.[16]

Parliamentary career

Gibson was elected as the Member of Parliament for Chippenham at the 2024 general election, winning with 45.5% of the vote and a majority of 8,138.[17]

References

  1. ^ "Sarah GIBSON". GOV.UK. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  2. ^ "Chippenham - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  3. ^ https://uk.linkedin.com/in/sarah-gibson-0860a11a
  4. ^ "Our new MPs Max Wilkinson, Sarah Gibson, Anna Sabine, Brian Mathew, Vikki Slade". Liberal Democrat Voice. 7 July 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  5. ^ "LABOX LIMITED people". GOV.UK. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Register of interests for Cllr Sarah Gibson MP". Democratic Services - Wiltshire Council. 7 July 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  7. ^ "www.laboxdesign.com". Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  8. ^ "Sarah Gibson". Register of Interests. Wiltshire Council. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  9. ^ "Meet the Lib Dem Candidate for Chippenham: Sarah Gibson". Wiltshire Times. 7 April 2024. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Councillor details - Cllr Sarah Gibson MP". Democratic Services - Wiltshire Council. 7 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  11. ^ "Westbury incinerator row: How did we get here?". BBC News. 15 May 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  12. ^ "Response to approval of Westbury Incinerator". Bradford on Avon Town Council. 23 June 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  13. ^ "Your Councillors". Bradford on Avon Town Council. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  14. ^ "Charging up". Bradford on Avon Town Council. 24 September 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  15. ^ Your Voice, Your Vote: Election 2024 - Wiltshire Debate. Retrieved 6 July 2024 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  16. ^ "Ed Davey drives tractor in new Lib Dem stunt as he vows to knock down Blue Wall". The Independent. 3 July 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  17. ^ https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10009
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Chippenham

2024–present
Incumbent