About Ros
One of the top 20 most influential women in public policy (WiPP Magazine, August 2008)
One of the top 20 most influential women in public policy (WiPP Magazine, August 2008)
Putting down roots in Suffolk after many years of moving around, it was a revelation to me to see how a community really works. I became increasingly involved as a community activist and saw at first hand the great work done by my local Lib Dem councillor, who in the end persuaded me to join the Party. After getting to know the ropes in a council where we were in joint control with Labour, I became Deputy Group Leader in 1995 and Leader in 1999. The most important lesson I learned from my years working in Suffolk was that local really does matter. I consider myself to be a grassroots activist in the old fashioned sense - a representative from my area, my community.
I decided to join the Liberal Democrats because they were talking my kind of language and to help fight and guide our cause in my patch. Liberal Democrats are not usually born with a tribal affiliation (quite the opposite!) to the Party: they choose to join. After a decade as a Councillor, I was elected by conference representatives onto the Party's list of peers in 2000 and was appointed to sit in the Lords soon after. So I can never forget that it is Party members who put me there with their votes.
Since then I have held numerous front bench positions most recently leading the Local Government team in the Lords.
In addition, I have served as an Audit Commissioner, I am Vice President of the Local Government Association and I sit on the Board of the Lloyds Register. I am also a member of the think-tank, The Commission for Integrated Transport, and a non executive director of Entrust, the Landfill Tax regulator.
I have two grown up children and live in Suffolk / Wembley with my husband Mark.
I have spoken to and met more than 3000 Party members since January 2007 - I've attended the Federal Conferences in Harrogate, Brighton and Liverpool; spoken at regional conferences in East of England, Wales, London, South Central, South East, East Midlands and Yorkshire and Humberside as well as LGA and ALDC events.
I've campaigned in East of England, London, South Central, Scotland, Wales, North East, Western Counties and North West.
I've been to the Parliamentary by-elections in Ealing Southall, Crewe and Henley. I've visited around 100 local parties from Brussels to Plymouth, Llandudno to Aberdeen, Orkney to Newquay.
I've just completed a week and half tour of Scotland - visiting Edinburgh St. Andrews, Aberdeen, Inverness, Orkney, Glasgow East Lothian. I've also made several trips to Wales and Cardiff recently, this last week going to Neath, Brigend, Brecon Newport, Pembrokeshire and Swansea.
Read more about Ros on her Blog - Baronesses are people too.
Read about Ros's Favourite Book Choices on 'TotalPolitics' magazine.
Join Ros's Facebook group.