My name is Steve Webb and I'm the Member of Parliament for Northavon. This is in South Gloucestershire (just North of Bristol) and includes places like Yate, Chipping Sodbury and Thornbury. I'm a Liberal Democrat MP and one of my roles is to write the manifesto which the Lib Dems will use to campaign at the next General Election.
I was born in Birmingham in July 1965 and attended the local comprehensive school (Dartmouth High School), before going on to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Hertford College, Oxford. I dropped politics after a year, because I wasn't very good at it!
At the age of twenty-one I left university to work at the Institute for Fiscal Studies in London, where I specialised in researching into poverty, taxes and benefits - interests which I have continued to this day. During my time at the IFS I met Helen, now my wife, who was then a curate at my local church in Clapham. We were married in 1993 and moved to the Bristol area in 1994 when Helen took up a post as a hospital chaplain at Southmead Hospital.
By about this time I was starting to get more interested in party politics, having joined the Lib Dems a couple of years earlier. In 1995 I was successful in getting myself chosen as the Lib Dem candidate for the Northavon constituency, just North of Bristol. However, as this had been a Conservative seat for decades with a majority of over 11,000 votes in 1992, it didn't seem like I was set for an immediate career change.
Because I was now a party political candidate, I had to leave the independent IFS and was pleased to be appointed as Professor of Social Policy at Bath University in 1995. I was even more pleased to become a father for the first time when our daughter was born at the end of that year.
For the following two years I campaigned hard in the constituency on a whole range of issues, from the NHS to schools, pensions to protecting the countryside. In May 1997 the General Election arrived, the votes were counted, and - to almost everyone's astonishment - I was duly elected to serve the Northavon constituency with a majority of 2,137 votes!
Since being elected to Parliament I have pursued my interests in pensions and benefits issues, as well as other things that concern me such as the problems of Third World debt. I have also become a father for the second time, as my son was born in 1998. I speak out regularly on local issues and raise these by means of "adjournment debates". I have also been actively involved in the Parliamentary Christian Fellowship.
In the 2001 General Election I was re-elected as MP for Northavon with a majority of 9,877 votes, and continued as the party's lead spokesperson on "Work and Pensions" issues.
In the 2005 General Election, I was re-elected again with a majority of 11,033 and was appointed by Charles Kennedy as the Liberal Democrats' lead spokesman on Health.
In late 2006, I stepped aside from the Health role after I was appointed to head the group that will write the party’s next General Election manifesto.
Who I'd like to meet:
I'd like to hear from anyone who lives in the 'Northavon' constituency. Feel free to ask me any questions or raise any issues you like, and I'll see what I can do to help. Or just add me as a friend.
The main places covered by my constituency are: Almondsbury (including Easter Compton), Alveston, Bradley Stoke North, Boyd Valley (ie Pucklechurch, Wick, Marshfield), Charfield (including Cromhall, Tortworth), Chipping Sodbury, Cotswold Edge (ie Hawkesbury, Tormarton, Acton Turville etc.), Dodington, Frampton Cotterell, Laddenbrook (ie Wickwar, Rangeworthy, Iron Acton), Pilning & Severn Beach, Severn (ie Olveston, Oldbury etc.), Thornbury, Westerleigh / Coalpit Heath, Winterbourne and Yate - phew!
Hi Steve... I am writing with some concern about the recent proposed cuts to funding of Physics and Astronomy projects, which has had quite devasting effects on the UK's contribution to particle physics research. I have heard that the cuts are now under review. Other than petitions and writing angry letters to the P.M, is there anything that can be done to help reverse this decision? Who is the best person to write to with my concerns for the apparent lack of interest in science that the government in general seems to be showing? And what the the views of the Lib Dems on this matter? Thanks, Sarah.
I fogund this weHbsiQte that sho1ws who has a cru0sh on you and thxought you'd w8anna know that one of my fridends had oVne on you. You go3tta tsry itZ!
I was wondering what the Liberal Democrat party would think of introducing a measure in which would increase the number of people recycling their rubbish.
What I propose is that as there is a separate collection for paper, glass, cans and other materials, wouldn’t it be beneficial if the persons who are recycling these products got a rebate off the government or the local council.
For example in California you can get five cents for a tin can if you recycle it, wouldn’t it be beneficial as the liberal democrats believe in global warming that there be an incentive for people to recycle when they would either get a direct tax rebate or the money that they would collect would either be given back to them at the end of the financial year or alternatively, it could be taken off their council tax.
I believe that this would dramatically improve the recycling in the area and therefore, less carbon emissions.
Also, if it was not possible for the council to collect and check how many cans that they had, couldn’t there be a mandatory ‘can recycling point’ in the car parks of supermarkets or in a communal place and a receipt would be printed off and sent off for the next financial year.
To combat going into even more red-ink, the council could sell it off to large corporations in which would pay for the materials that the council would refund as people have already paid for the can and the materials that went into it, shouldn’t they get some money back from it?
To be honest i cant really see how big a difference one year will make. We can't even be sure that it is the age that is the cause of these high rates, it could just be the fact that driving is new to people. No matter what age the driving age may be, there is still the chance that because of being new to driving the rates could just stay the same?
Also, if youths are made to wait a further year to drive then public transport needs to be improved, people of the age of 17 need to be able to get places and the public transport that we have isnt all that efficient or cheap!
Hi, I was just going to comment to say that I thought that Kennedy's attitude on the train from Paddington to Plymouth was disgraceful. Also, that Ming's first PMQ's session with Brown was... not inspiring. it was just the same old polices and same old methods that only got you 11% of the seats and 22% of the vote.
Trident, the War and other issues are not that high with the public, You should use the 3 questions more productively such as what the new chancellor is going to do with the child tax credits in which Gordon messed up and has to pay back £6k and this is not a single issue, that many people have to pay money that they don 't have back because Gordon messed up being the Chancellor, and if he did only mess up being the Chancellor, there is not much hope of him being the Prime Minister. Or Maybe you could raise it on Wednesday. I hope you get back to me.
Not at all steve, im really grateful, i know you have alot on besides this, so im really grateful for that!.
That time would be great for me aslo Steve, if you could just let me know when it is sorted in the pre-xmas period that would be great and its really cool of you, hope all is well and thanks again mate!!
Micky
Hi Steve!
Thanks for the comment and once again addy aslo,
I would really like the chance to visit Westminister and get a small insight into the goings on there and it would certainly be of benefit to my future aims of leading a political career, if you could let me know anytime in advance of the organised visit, it would be great and i would be more than happy to come along. Thanks for the chance for that and keep up great work
Hello, I just got back from a showing of 'an inconvenient truth' film/documentary by Al Gore about global warming at St. Nick’s church.
After the film finished we had a discussion about what we as a community could do to increase the awareness of the issue, and therefore reduce carbon emissions.
One of the ideas raised was to have the film aired on BBC1 or BBC2 so many more people have an opportunity to see the problem.
Your name was mentioned as a possibility of doing this, is this possible?
Also I think it would be a good idea to show the film in schools so children who will be directly affected by the problem can understand the issue and see what they can do to prevent it worsening.
Hey Steve, Which do you prefer, custard creams, or bourbons?
I myself prefer bourbons a million times better, but some of my fellow peers seem to disagree, i was just wondering what your views are. Oh and this could swing the results, so be careful which one you chose!
lol at tht jennys comment,
looks like ur mums taking a real interest in politics in the area- im glad to see where her priorities in lie- aslong as we get a cinema i'll vote 4 u regardless of wateva else u say!
Do you have any input on things like Yate Town Football club? There was a rumour that a Housing company had bought the land that the club is on and had to re-house the club, is this true? and if not do you have any input on things like expansion? as the club is going upwards, and only 3 leagues of professional football (although I know thats a massive jump)
Hey steve,
i noticed you blocked/deleted me from your friends list the other day and i had to re-add you, what is the meaning of this?
Moving on from this, I would like to comment about your visit to brimsham green school last thursday.
I thought it was very good that you find some time to come and speak to us.
I hope you find some time to comment back.
