Alex Brewer (politician)
{{Short description|British politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Alex Brewer
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MP}}
| image = Official portrait of Alex Brewer MP crop 2.jpg
| caption = Official portrait, 2024
| parliament = United Kingdom
| constituency_MP = North East Hampshire
| term_start = 4 July 2024
| term_end =
| predecessor = Ranil Jayawardena
| successor =
| majority = 634 (1.1%)
| birth_name =
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| party = Liberal Democrats
| education =
| alma_mater =
| website =
}}
Alexandra Katherine Brewer{{London Gazette |date=22 July 2024 |issue=64465 |page=14086}} is a British Liberal Democrat politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for North East Hampshire since 2024.
Career
Before becoming an MP, Brewer ran Stepping Stones DS, a children's charity within her constituency that provides support to children with Down Syndrome, their families, and the professionals involved in their care. She also formerly ran a women's refuge, and has experience working in the business sector in the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany and Australia.{{Cite web |title=Meet Alex Brewer|url=https://www.hartlibdems.org.uk/meet-alex-brewer|access-date=5 July 2024 |website=Hart Lib Dems |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Alex Brewer - Candidate for North East Hampshire|url=https://www.libdems.org.uk/candidates/north-east-hampshire |access-date=5 July 2024 |website=Liberal Democrats |language=en}}
Parliamentary career
Brewer was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for North East Hampshire at the 2024 general election, defeating the incumbent Conservative MP Ranil Jayawardena with 38.1 per cent of the vote and a majority of 634. She is both the first woman and the first Liberal Democrat to ever represent the constituency.{{Cite web |title= 4 July 2024: Election results |url= https://www.hart.gov.uk/voting-and-elections/4-july-2024-election-results |access-date=5 July 2024 |publisher=Hart District Council |language=en}}
In her maiden speech, Brewer delivered a narrative tour of North East Hampshire; individually mentioning several towns and villages by name, noting features and characteristics of the local area and community, and describing the key issues faced by her constituents.{{Cite web |title=Alex Brewer MP's Maiden Speech |url=https://www.hartlibdems.org.uk/news/article/alex-brewer-mps-maiden-speech-1 |access-date=11 October 2024 |website=Hart Lib Dems |language=en}}
In an interview with the Basingstoke Gazette, Brewer stated that her political priorities were to improve the NHS, to resolve the sewage crisis, and to provide better services for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN).{{Cite web |date=22 September 2024 |title=North East Hampshire MP vows to fight for NHS, environment and SEN services |url=https://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/news/24599114.north-east-hampshire-mp-alex-brewer-vows-fight-nhs/ |access-date=11 October 2024 |website=Basingstoke Gazette |language=en}}
In September 2024, Brewer strongly criticised, and voted to block, the government's plans to means-test the Winter Fuel Payment, writing that she was "extremely concerned about those on low incomes",{{Cite web |last=Brewer |first=Alex |date=11 September 2024 |title=Alex Brewer MP Statement on the Winter Fuel Allowance |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=532353262624062&set=a.128873486305377 |access-date=11 October 2024 |website=Facebook}} and could not condone the decision "to further add to the burden faced by some of the most vulnerable people in our society, especially during a cost-of-living crisis."{{Cite web |date=10 September 2024 |title=North East Hampshire MP to vote against cuts to winter fuel allowance |url=https://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/news/24574745.winter-fuel-allowance-mp-alex-brewer-vote-cuts/ |access-date=11 October 2024 |website=Basingstoke Gazette |language=en}}
On the 25th of October 2024, Brewer announced that she had been elected to the House of Commons Select Committee for Women and Equalities.{{Cite web |last=Brewer |first=Alex |date=25 October 2024 |title=Elected to the Women and Equalities Select Committee |url=https://www.facebook.com/AlexBrewerMP/posts/pfbid0yMEcSaqJPoHDYdYnu7mNKTV99HvZh3Z8GrVb6WBTtCY97FERLLjD1NaGfxLYoEv3l |access-date=28 October 2024}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- {{UK MP links
| parliament = 5263
| publicwhip = Alex_Brewer
| theywork = 26366
}}
- [https://www.libdems.org.uk/mps/north-east-hampshire Profile] at the Liberal Democrats
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{{s-par|uk}}
{{s-bef|before=Ranil Jayawardena}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament
for North East Hampshire|years=2024–present}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-end}}
{{Current UK Liberal Democrat MPs}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brewer, Alex}}
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Female members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies
Category:Liberal Democrats (UK) MPs for English constituencies
Category:20th-century English women
Category:21st-century English women
Category:21st-century British women politicians
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