Rachel Clare Gilmour[2] (formerly Oliver; born 13th October 1964) is a British Liberal Democrat politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Tiverton and Minehead since 2024.[3]
Rachel Gilmour | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Member of Parliament for Tiverton and Minehead | |
| Assumed office 4[1]July 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Majority | 3,507 (7.4%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 October 1964 |
| Political party | Liberal Democrats |
| Alma mater | |
| Website | rachelgilmour |
Early life
editGilmour grew up on the Somerset–Devon border and was privately educated at Cheltenham Ladies' College after attending local schools including St John's Primary School in Wellington.[4]
It was while she was at the College that she joined the Liberal Party aged 17.
She is the daughter of the former England international rugby player David Wrench.[4] She studied law at SOAS University of London and English literature at King's College London.[5]
Career
editAfter a stint as an English Lecturer at Somerset College of Arts & Technology in Taunton, Gilmour began her career in corporate communications and public affairs. Having worked for national and international NGOs, she was appointed Director of Communications at the National Farmers' Union, becoming the first woman to join their board in 100 years. She went on to be Head of Strategy at the Environment Agency.
Most recently she was employed as Director of Communications for Pangea 21, a group of health tech start-ups.[6]
In the 2015 United Kingdom general election, Gilmour contested Taunton Deane to succeed Jeremy Browne.[7] She had unsuccessfully stood in two earlier general elections.[4] In 1997 she contested Nottingham North in 1997 and Totnes in 2001.[8] She contested these two elections under her previous name Rachel Oliver.[9]
She was previously a member of Taunton Deane Borough Council and currently represents the Clare & Shuttern ward of Mid Devon District Council.[4]
Personal life
editShe lives in Bampton with her husband, Patrick, a corporate lawyer. They have three sons and a daughter. They share their home and garden with two dogs, three cats and twenty two rescue chickens.[6]
References
edit- ^ https://members.parliament.uk/member/5252/contact
- ^ "Members Sworn". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 752. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 10 July 2024.
- ^ "Tiverton and Minehead - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
- ^ a b c d "Local woman educated in Wellington stands in FOURTH general election". Somerset County Gazette. 2024-01-16. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
- ^ "Rachel Gilmour". Honiton, Sidmouth and Tiverton Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Rachel Gilmour". Honiton, Sidmouth & Tiverton Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
- ^ "Taunton Deane parliamentary constituency - Election 2019 - BBC News". Retrieved 2024-07-09.
- ^ Clarke, Lewis (2024-08-28). "Meet Rachel Gilmour, Tiverton's new MP whose lifelong dream is being realised". Devon Live. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
- ^ "BBC NEWS | VOTE 2001 | CANDIDATES". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-08-30.