Rodney Berman

Born and raised in Glasgow, Berman studied at the University of Glasgow where he helped run Glasgow University Liberal Democrats, before moving to Wales to study towards a PhD.

Berman stood for election to Parliament as Welsh Liberal Democrat candidate for Rhondda and Cardiff South and Penarth in 1997 and 2001, respectively, coming third on each occasion.{{Cite news |title=Rodney Berman: Electoral history and profile |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/person/387/rodney-berman |work=The Guardian |date=14 August 2006 |accessdate=25 August 2006 |location=London}} His agent for the Rhondda seat was Professor Russell Deacon.

In 2004 Berman became leader of a minority administration on Cardiff Council. In 2006, Berman was the first winner of the Local Politician of the Year award.{{cite news|date=30 November 2006|title=Hain wins top title for work in Wales and N Ireland|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/hain-wins-top-title-work-2302008|access-date=28 April 2012|website=WalesOnline|language=en}}

The local elections of 2008 saw the Liberal Democrats increase their representation, winning new seats in the east (Trowbridge), west (Llandaff) and south of the city (Butetown). They were still in a minority on the council so they made a deal to run the Cardiff Council jointly with Plaid Cymru, under Berman's leadership.{{cite news|title=Cardiff and Conwy coalition deals|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7402847.stm|work=BBC News|date=16 May 2008|access-date=6 July 2024}}

In the 2012 council elections, the Liberal Democrats lost control of Cardiff Council to Welsh Labour, and Berman also lost his seat after two recounts.{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-17954639 | publisher=BBC News | title=Cardiff council's Rodney Berman toppled in cull of leaders | date=4 May 2012}}

Berman was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2013 New Year Honours for services to local government and the community in Cardiff.{{London Gazette |issue=60367 |date=29 December 2012 |page=9 |supp=y }}

After spending several years working as a policy executive for BMA Cymru Wales, he returned to local politics to fight the 2017 Cardiff Council election.{{cite news|title=Cardiff's former council leader Rodney Berman is making a comeback bid|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/cardiffs-former-council-leader-rodney-12349496|website=WalesOnline|date=20 December 2016|access-date=6 July 2024|language=en}} He returned as a councillor in May 2017 for the Penylan Ward.{{Cite web|url=https://cardiff.moderngov.co.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=564|title=Councillor details - Councillor Rodney Berman OBE|date=18 October 2020|website=cardiff.moderngov.co.uk}}

At the 2021 Senedd election, he was the Lib Dem candidate for Cardiff Central,{{cite news|url=https://nation.cymru/news/is-this-hyper-marginal-seat-the-best-hope-for-a-lib-dem-constituency-gain/|title=Is this hyper-marginal seat the best hope for a Lib Dem constituency gain?|last=Pitcher|first=Lowri|date=5 May 2021|website=Nation.Cymru|access-date=5 May 2021}} coming second to Jenny Rathbone.{{Cite web|last=Seabrook|first=Alex|date=2021-05-07|title=The full Senedd election 2021 result for Cardiff Central|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/senedd-election-2021-cardiff-central-20516154|access-date=2021-07-19|website=WalesOnline|language=en}} He also stood on the list vote for the South Wales Central region.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cardiffld.org.uk/rodney_berman_chosen|title=Rodney Berman selected to fight Cardiff Central for the 2021 Senedd elections|first=Rodney|last=Berman|website=Cardiff Liberal Democrats}} He stood for election in the Cardiff East constituency for the 2024 UK general election, coming second with 17.2% of the vote.{{Cite news |title=Cardiff East - General election results 2024 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/W07000089 |work=BBC News |access-date=2024-07-06 |language=en-GB}}

In August 2006, Berman entered into a civil partnership with his partner, former ITV News journalist Nick Speed.{{Cite web|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/partnership-ceremony-berman-partner-2320943|title=Partnership ceremony for Berman and partner|date=13 August 2006|website=WalesOnline}}

• Balsom, Denis. The Wales Yearbook 2007. Francis Balsom Associates Limited. 2006 {{ISBN|1-901862-65-8}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• [https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-141000964 "It's just not cricket" - The Western Mail]
• [http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2009/06/12/cardiff-residents-should-get-to-vote-for-a-mayor-91466-23852062/ "‘Cardiff residents should get to vote for a mayor’" - Wales Online]
• [http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2009/06/15/directly-elected-mayor-would-have-too-much-power-says-rodney-berman-91466-23877091/ "Directly-elected mayor would have too much power, says Rodney Berman" - Wales Online]
• [http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/10/24/cardiff-council-hits-back-at-rubbish-collection-complaints-91466-22106867/ "Cardiff council hits back at rubbish collection complaints" - Wales Online]
• [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/south_east/4455932.stm "Concern over city school shake-up" - BBC News]
• [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/uk_news/wales/1155007.stm "Cardiff 'behind' in culture city race" - BBC News]
• [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/4869984.stm "Council to reveal school closures" - BBC News]

{{Politics and Government in Cardiff}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Berman, Rodney}}

Category:1969 births

Category:Living people

Category:Alumni of the University of Glasgow

Category:Councillors in Cardiff

Category:Scottish gay politicians

Category:Liberal Democrats (UK) councillors

Category:Liberal Democrats (UK) parliamentary candidates

Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire

Category:Politicians from Glasgow

Category:Welsh LGBTQ politicians

Category:Leaders of local authorities of Wales

Category:21st-century Welsh LGBTQ people