Stephen Lloyd
{{Short description|British politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Stephen Lloyd
| honorific-suffix =
| image = Official portrait of Stephen Lloyd crop 2.jpg
| office1 = Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Work and Pensions
| leader1 = Tim Farron
Vince Cable
| term_start1 = 16 June 2017
| term_end1 = 6 December 2018
| predecessor1 = Baroness Bakewell
| successor1 = Christine Jardine
| office2 = Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
| primeminister2 = David Cameron
| term_start2 = 9 January 2014
| term_end2 = 12 December 2014
| predecessor2 = Steve Gilbert
| successor2 = Paul Maynard
| office3 = Member of Parliament
for Eastbourne
| parliament =
| majority3 =
| predecessor3 = Caroline Ansell
| successor3 = Caroline Ansell
| term_start3 = 8 June 2017
| term_end3 = 6 November 2019
| predecessor4 = Nigel Waterson
| successor4 = Caroline Ansell
| term_start4 = 6 May 2010
| term_end4 = 30 March 2015
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|6|15|df=y}}
| birth_place = Mombasa, Kenya Colony
| nationality = British
| spouse =
| party = Parliamentary affiliation:
Independent (2018–2019)
Liberal Democrats (until 2018, 2019–)
Party membership:
Liberal Democrats
| relations =
| children =
| residence =
| education = St. George's College, Weybridge
| occupation = Business Development Director
| profession =
| signature =
| website =
| footnotes =
| caption = Lloyd in 2019
}}
Stephen Anthony Christopher Lloyd{{London Gazette |issue=59418 |date=13 May 2010 |page=8741}} (born 15 June 1957) is a British Liberal Democrat politician who was twice Member of Parliament (MP) for the seat of Eastbourne.{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/stephen-lloyd/3968 |title=Stephen Lloyd |publisher=UK Parliament |date=20 July 2015 |access-date=6 December 2018}}
Born in Kenya, he was privately educated in Surrey, before working first as a commodity broker and then in business development roles. He became resident in his constituency before (and remained so since) his 2005 candidature and became its MP, a predominantly single-town seat by population, at various times from 2010.
First elected in the 2010 general election, he served for all five years of the 2010–2015 UK parliament and supported the Cameron–Clegg coalition. Having lost his seat to the Conservative candidate Caroline Ansell in the 2015 general election, Lloyd went on to regain it in 2017 and served as the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Work and Pensions.{{Cite web|url=https://www.libdems.org.uk/new-liberal-democrat-spokespeople|title=New Liberal Democrat spokespeople|date=12 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012164501/https://www.libdems.org.uk/new-liberal-democrat-spokespeople |archive-date=12 October 2017 }}
On 6 December 2018, Lloyd resigned the Liberal Democrat whip, saying that his party's position on Brexit was inconsistent with his pledge to his constituency that he would "respect the result" of the 2016 EU referendum.{{cite news|date=6 December 2018|title=Eastbourne MP Stephen Lloyd resigns the Lib Dem Party Whip|work=Eastbourne Herald|publisher=JPI Media|url=https://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/eastbourne-mp-stephen-lloyd-resigns-the-lib-dem-party-whip-1-8731000|url-status=dead|access-date=6 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181206220555/https://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/eastbourne-mp-stephen-lloyd-resigns-the-lib-dem-party-whip-1-8731000|archive-date=6 December 2018}} Until 29 October 2019, Lloyd sat in the House of Commons as an Independent, remaining a member of the Liberal Democrat party, but had the whip restored following the announcement of the general election, and the 'clean-slate' opportunity to be on the ballot paper as a committed remainer.{{cite web|date=29 October 2019|first=Stephen|last=Lloyd|title=I'm going to be doing everything I can to stop Brexit|url=https://www.markpack.org.uk/160147/stephen-lloyd-eastbourne-remain/|access-date=29 October 2019|publisher=Mark Pack}} He was again defeated by Caroline Ansell at the 2019 general election.
Early life and career
Lloyd was born on 15 June 1957 in the coastal city of Mombasa, Kenya, to John Lloyd and Nuala Lloyd.{{Cite journal|title=Lloyd, Stephen, (born 15 June 1957), MP (Lib Dem) Eastbourne, since 2017 |journal= Who's Who & Who Was Who|url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-251155|language=en|doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U251155|isbn= 978-0-19-954088-4|url-access=subscription}} He was educated in the UK from the age of eight at the independent St. George's College, Weybridge in Surrey."The Class of 2010" (Weber Shandwick/Total Politics guide), Biteback Publishing, 2010, p. 175-6.
Lloyd is hearing-impaired. At the age of six, having contracted measles, Lloyd lost all hearing in his left ear, retaining only partial hearing in his right.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNPQ5ClhJuQ|title=Experiences of disability in Parliament: Part II|date=4 September 2012 |via=www.youtube.com}}
Prior to becoming an MP, Lloyd worked in business for over 20 years.{{cite web |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101208032621/http://www.libdems.org.uk/mps_detail.aspx?name=Stephen_Lloyd_MP&pPK=10265749-e11e-4639-9b3b-ed4eb8df9c1d |archive-date=8 December 2010 |url= http://www.libdems.org.uk/mps_detail.aspx?name=Stephen_Lloyd_MP&pPK=10265749-e11e-4639-9b3b-ed4eb8df9c1d |access-date=18 May 2015 |url-status=dead |title= Stephen Lloyd MP – MP for Eastbourne and Willingdon}} From 1977 to 1980, he worked as a commodity broker for Cominco.'LLOYD, Stephen', Who's Who 2017, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2017 From 1998 to 2005, he was a business development director at the Grass Roots Group. From 2005 to 2010, Lloyd worked for the Federation of Small Businesses as a business development consultant.{{Citation|title=Stephen Lloyd|date=7 May 2010|publisher=Eastbourne Liberal Democrats|url=http://eastbournelibdems.org.uk/pages/about-stephen-lloyd.html}}
Political career
= Early candidacy =
Lloyd first contested the Beaconsfield constituency, in Buckinghamshire at the 2001 general election. He came in third place behind the Labour candidate Stephen Lathrope and the victor, Dominic Grieve of the Conservatives. Lloyd received 9,117 votes and a 21.6% share of the vote.
In 2002, Lloyd was selected by the Liberal Democrats to be their next candidate for the constituency of Eastbourne in East Sussex. Viewed as a high target seat for the party, selection was competitive and he beat future parliamentary colleagues Duncan Hames and Tessa Munt to the final nomination. Lloyd spent the next three years becoming engaged in local causes, in preparation for the next general election. At the 2005 general election, Lloyd lost to the sitting Conservative MP, Nigel Waterson.
Lloyd continued to campaign locally for various causes, including leading opposition to plans to build a new B&Q megastore in Sovereign Harbour, which was subsequently refused by the planning committee of the Liberal Democrat-controlled Eastbourne Borough Council in October 2005.{{cite news |title=Cheers as megastore plan is thrown out |last=Ryan |first=Siohan |newspaper=The Argus |location=Brighton |date=14 October 2005}}
= First term =
At the 2010 general election, Lloyd's campaign centred on local issues and highlighting of the expenses claims of his Conservative Party opponent, Nigel Waterson. He also asked to be lent votes by local supporters of the Labour and Green parties.{{cite news |last=Asthana |first=Anushka |title=Lib Dems adapt their message to bridge Britain's class divide |newspaper=The Observer |location= London |date=14 March 2010}} Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg hosted his eve of poll rally, where former Conservative MP Ernle Money, who had moved to Eastbourne, pledged his support to Lloyd.{{cite news |last=Swaine |first=Jon |title=Lend us your votes, Clegg begs waverers in the key marginal seats |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=6 May 2010}} On 7 May, Lloyd was elected the MP for Eastbourne with a majority of 3,435 votes.{{Citation|title=Eastbourne result, General Election 2010|date=7 May 2010 |publisher=BBC Online |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/constituency/b56.stm}}{{Cite news |title=Lib Dem Lloyd sweeps to victory in Eastbourne |date=7 May 2010 |newspaper=Eastbourne Herald |url= http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/Lib-Dem-Lloyd-sweeps-to.6279492.jp}}
Waterson subsequently sued Lloyd for libel over the contents of Lloyd's election leaflets, which had called Waterson an "expenses scandal MP".{{cite news |url= http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/9411163.Court_rules_Lib_Dem_leaflet_was_defamatory/ |title=Court rules Lib Dem leaflet was defamatory |newspaper=The Argus |location= Brighton |date=9 December 2011 |last=Gardner |first=Bill}} On 9 December 2011, the High Court ruled that Lloyd had defamed Waterson. Lloyd appealed, and on 28 February 2013 the Court of Appeal found in Lloyd's favour, overturning the original judgment.{{cite news |url=http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/local-news/eastbourne-mp-wins-appeal-over-libel-case-1-4835539 |title=Eastbourne MP wins appeal over libel case |newspaper=Eastbourne Herald |date=28 February 2013}}{{cite web |url=http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2013/136.html |title=Waterson v Lloyd MP & Anor [2013] EWCA Civ 136 |date=28 February 2013}}
From 2010 to 2015, Lloyd served as the Liberal Democrats' spokesperson for Northern Ireland in the House of Commons. Over the same period, Lloyd served on the Work and Pensions Select Committee in the House of Commons. He was thought by the Labour opposition to be wavering about supporting changes to housing benefit presented to the committee, but declared that he supported the "direction of travel" of the government.{{cite news |last=Stratton |first=Allegra |title=Labour courts Lib Dem in benefit vote|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/dec/19/labour-courts-lloyd-housing-benefit |date=20 December 2010 |newspaper=The Guardian |location= London}} He campaigned for concessions from the Department for Work and Pensions in relation to Personal Independence Payment descriptors to ensure that people with reduced mobility would still be entitled to their Motability vehicles.{{Citation |title=Getting loud about PIP |date=8 February 2013 |publisher=Multiple Sclerosis Society |url= http://www.mssociety.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/campaigns-blog/2013/02/getting-loud-about-pip}}
In 2010, Lloyd lobbied the Government to reconsider its planned reforms to student visa regulations, which threatened the future of English language schools, arguing it was "nonsensical" to require overseas students to speak the language before they came to study it.{{Cite news |title=Visa change threatens Sussex language schools |date=2 August 2010 |work=BBC News |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/sussex/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8878000/8878924.stm}}
File:Stephen_Lloyd_MP_Eastbourne.jpg
Throughout his first term in Parliament, Lloyd served as chair of a number of all-party parliamentary groups including those for Citizens Advice, microfinance, apprenticeships and further education and skills. He also served as vice chair of the APPGs on deafness, mental health, dementia, ageing and older people, town centre management, multiple sclerosis, trading standards, pharmacy, and justice for Equitable Life policyholders.{{citation |title=Register of All-Party Groups |date=1 February 2013 |publisher=Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/register/register.pdf}} Additionally, the Federation of Small Businesses and City and Guilds of London Institute invited him to be their respective champions in parliament.
Lloyd founded the All Party Parliamentary Group on religious education in schools in 2010. He has led campaigns to improve, encourage and support RE teaching of the world's major faiths, and of the non-religious, in schools in England and Wales.{{citation |title=Latest APPG News |publisher=Religious Education Council of England and Wales |url= http://religiouseducationcouncil.org.uk/appg}} The chair of the Religious Education Council praised him in The Times as a "key player" in promoting the importance of effective RE teaching in schools.{{cite news |title=Letters to the Editor: Faith schools and true freedom of thought |date=25 November 2014 |newspaper=The Times |location= London |url= http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/letters/article4276986.ece |archive-url= https://archive.today/20200226053114/http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/letters/article4276986.ece |url-status= dead |archive-date= 26 February 2020 |url-access=subscription}}
From January to December 2014, Lloyd served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Ed Davey.{{cite press release |url= http://www.libdems.org.uk/latest_news_detail.aspx?title=Stephen_Lloyd_appointed_PPS_to_Ed_Davey&pPK=96444066-e3a4-4e22-9ab8-ef71049f0ed2 |title=Stephen Lloyd appointed PPS to Ed Davey |date=9 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140122235139/http://www.libdems.org.uk/latest_news_detail.aspx?title=Stephen_Lloyd_appointed_PPS_to_Ed_Davey&pPK=96444066-e3a4-4e22-9ab8-ef71049f0ed2 |archive-date=22 January 2014 |publisher=Liberal Democrats}} Lloyd resigned this position in December 2014 over his "profound disappointment" that the Department for Transport's new road investment strategy did not meet the demands of a local campaign to properly improve the A27 road.{{cite news |title=MP quits his top government job in row over A27 |date=12 December 2014 |newspaper=Eastbourne Herald |url= http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/local/mp-quits-his-top-government-job-in-row-over-a27-1-6469517}}
Lloyd rarely rebelled against the coalition government on any parliamentary matter. Notable exceptions included his vote against tuition fee increases, which he later said the party "should have died in a ditch" to defend their position on.{{cite web |url=http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?id=uk.org.publicwhip/member/40235 |title=Stephen Lloyd |website=Public Whip |access-date=1 April 2015}} Lloyd has argued that by entering the 2010–15 coalition government, the Liberal Democrats "saved the country" but "killed themselves".
= Defeat =
Lloyd lost his seat at the 2015 general election to the Conservative Party candidate, Caroline Ansell, who won by 733 votes. The election resulted in a victory for the Conservatives, and the formation of the first Conservative majority government in 23 years.{{cite news|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000684|title = Eastbourne Parliamentary constituency|access-date = 8 April 2015|website = BBC News}} Later that month, Lloyd announced he would retire from politics.{{cite news |url= http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/local/video-retiring-eastbourne-mp-stephen-lloyd-said-it-s-been-a-real-pleasure-1-6733025 |title = VIDEO: Retiring Eastbourne MP Stephen Lloyd said "it's been a real pleasure" |date=8 May 2015 |access-date=9 May 2015 |website= Eastbourne Herald }} A resident-led fundraising campaign formed within days of Lloyd's defeat, with the aim of supporting him to contest the next general election.{{cite news |title=Eastbourne residents offer to pay former MP's mortgage |date=12 May 2015 |newspaper=Eastbourne Herald |url= https://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/eastbourne-residents-offer-to-pay-former-mp-s-mortgage-1-6739100}} Lloyd refused the donations and urged that they were instead directed to Save the DGH, the local group campaign to restore services at Eastbourne District General Hospital. He then took a job as business development director for West End Studios, an event and exhibition company based in Eastbourne.{{citation|title=Meet the team|publisher=West End Studios |url= http://www.west-end-studios.co.uk/team.php}}
In July 2016, Lloyd announced that he would seek selection as the Liberal Democrat candidate at the next general election.{{cite news |title=Former Eastbourne MP makes announcement on his political future |date=15 July 2016 |newspaper=Eastbourne Herald |url= http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/breaking-former-eastbourne-mp-makes-anouncement-on-his-political-future-1-7478470}} He attributed his change of mind to a petition created by local supporters two months before, which had asked him to stand again.{{cite news |title=Petition calls on former Eastbourne MP to stand again |date=26 May 2016 |newspaper=Eastbourne Herald |url= http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/petition-calls-on-former-eastbourne-mp-to-stand-again-1-7401759}}
= Return to Parliament =
Lloyd stood at the snap general election in 2017 and won, beating the same Conservative MP who had unseated him in 2015, Caroline Ansell, by 1,609 votes.{{cite news |url= http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/lloyd-victorious-at-eastbourne-election-1-8000629 |date=9 June 2017 |title=Lloyd victorious at Eastbourne election |newspaper= Eastbourne Herald}} Lloyd was selected under an all-disabled shortlist, the first time any political party had restricted its selection to disabled people.{{cite news |first=Alice |last=Kirby |url= https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jul/13/all-disabled-shortlists-politics-representative-disability |title=All-disabled shortlists: that's the way to make politics truly representative |newspaper=The Guardian |location= London |date=13 July 2017 |access-date=6 December 2018}} In June 2017, Liberal Democrat Leader Tim Farron appointed Lloyd as the party's frontbench spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions. Lloyd was reappointed to this position after Sir Vince Cable was elected as Leader of the Liberal Democrats in October 2017. In January 2018, Lloyd sponsored a parliamentary debate on Universal Credit's impact on the private rented sector.{{cite press release |url= http://www.arla.co.uk/news/january-2018/arla-propertymark-provide-evidence-for-universal-credit-debate-in-parliament.aspx |title= ARLA Propertymark provide evidence for Universal Credit debate in Parliament |publisher=ARLA Propertymark |date=19 January 2018 |access-date=6 December 2018}}
= Local causes and campaigns =
As well as advocating improvements to the A27, Lloyd has campaigned to retain services at the Eastbourne District General Hospital,{{cite news |title=Former Eastbourne MP Stephen Lloyd offers his view on changes at the Eastbourne DGH |date=28 March 2016 |newspaper=The Argus |location= Brighton |url= http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/14386867.Former_Eastbourne_MP_Stephen_Lloyd_offers_his_view_on_changes_at_the_Eastbourne_DGH/}} against cuts to school budgets,{{cite news |title= Former Eastbourne MP blasts cuts in Spring Budget |date=9 March 2017 |newspaper= Eastbourne Herald |url= https://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/former-eastbourne-mp-blasts-cuts-in-spring-budget-1-7859470}} and against cuts to adult social care services.{{cite news |title= Proposed closure of rehabilitation homes would be 'bad for the DGH' says Eastbourne MP |date=24 January 2018 |newspaper=Eastbourne Herald |url= https://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/proposed-closure-of-rehabilitation-homes-would-be-bad-for-the-dgh-says-eastbourne-mp-1-8345888}} Lloyd organised for hundreds of presents to be delivered to the elderly and vulnerable who were in hospital without any visitors over the 2017 Christmas period.{{cite news |title=Eastbourne MP collecting presents for elderly patients spending Christmas at the DGH |date=19 December 2017 |newspaper=Eastbourne Herald |url= https://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/eastbourne-mp-collecting-presents-for-elderly-patients-spending-christmas-at-the-dgh-1-8297931}} The campaign generated a surplus of donated presents. These were delivered to elderly patients in the community over the festive period.{{cite news |title=Eastbourne MP collecting presents for elderly patients spending Christmas at the DGH |date=19 December 2017 |url= https://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/eastbourne-mp-collecting-presents-for-elderly-patients-spending-christmas-at-the-dgh-1-8297931 |newspaper=Eastbourne Herald}}
In 2010, Lloyd created an "MP's Commission", composed of local business and community leaders in his Eastbourne constituency. Its initiatives included: bringing back the Eastbourne 'Sunshine' Carnival;{{cite news |title=Carnival fever marks Sunshine Carnival |date=6 June 2012 |newspaper= Eastbourne Herald |url= http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/carnival-fever-marks-sunshine-carnival-1-3916996}} and organising a procurement conference to encourage further economic cooperation between the private sector and major public sector bodies in the town.{{cite news |title=Business event hailed a success |date=21 January 2011 |newspaper= Eastbourne Herald |url= http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/business-news/business-event-hailed-a-success-1-2327691}} In 2011, Lloyd developed a successful local apprenticeship initiative, aiming to recruit 100 apprenticeships in 100 days in Eastbourne. The initiative ultimately created 181 apprenticeships and received praise from then-Prime Minister David Cameron.{{cite news |title= Prime Minister heaps praise on Eastbourne |date=4 November 2011 |newspaper=Eastbourne Herald |url= http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/prime-minister-heaps-praise-on-eastbourne-1-3205156}} In 2014, Lloyd was awarded the Grassroot Diplomat Initiative Honouree for this work.{{cite web |title=Grassroot Diplomat Who's Who |url= http://www.grassrootdiplomat.org/whoswho/ |access-date=27 April 2015 |work=Grassroot Diplomat |date=15 March 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150520125406/http://www.grassrootdiplomat.org/whoswho/ |archive-date=20 May 2015}} During the same year, Lloyd was also associated with lobbying for additional funds for local housing projects and supporting negotiations over the regeneration of Eastbourne's Arndale shopping centre.{{citation|title=Partners Celebrate £4 Million Funding|date=February 2011|url=http://www.eastbournehomes.org.uk/my-landlord/news/2011-news/february-2011/partners-celebrate-4-million-funding/|publisher=Eastbourne Homes}}{{cite news |title= Good news for shops development in town |date=25 May 2012 |newspaper=Eastbourne Herald |url= http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/good-news-for-shops-development-in-town-1-3881968}}
In 2014, The Guardian reported that Lloyd's "toil has yielded high levels of recognition and support, some of it close to admiration."{{cite news |last=Behr |first=Rafael |url= https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jul/30/lib-dems-government-roots-party-local-mps |title=The Lib Dems could survive in government by going back to their roots |newspaper=The Guardian |location= London |date=30 July 2014}} Christina Patterson in The Independent remarked that "a political system that can produce elected representatives like this may well be as good as it gets."{{cite news |last=Patterson |first=Christina |url= https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/can-british-politicians-win-back-our-respect-6273506.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/can-british-politicians-win-back-our-respect-6273506.html |archive-date=25 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Can British politicians win back our respect? |newspaper= The Independent |location= London |date=10 December 2011}}
In 2015, Lloyd supported appeals made by the parents of a five-year-old girl who died in his constituency, when the child's grandparents were denied visas to enter the UK to attend her funeral. He offered to personally guarantee their return to Zimbabwe.{{cite news |title= Andrea Gada's parents write to PM after funeral visa plea is rejected |date=20 January 2015 |newspaper=The Guardian |location= London |url= https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jan/20/andrea-gada-parents-write-cameron-funeral-visa-plea-rejected}}{{cite news |title= Fight goes on for relatives funeral visas |date=20 January 2015 |newspaper= Eastbourne Herald |url= http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/local/fight-goes-on-for-relatives-funeral-visas-1-6530003}}
Lloyd successfully campaigned for an inquiry into patient deaths at Gosport War Memorial Hospital, having "long supported the case" for an independent investigation.{{cite news |last=Whitehead |first=Dan |url=https://news.sky.com/story/hospital-painkiller-deaths-inquiry-11410454 |title=Families to get answers over hundreds of painkiller deaths |work=Sky News |date=20 June 2018}} On 20 June 2018, the Gosport Independent Panel published a report finding that "there was a disregard for human life" at the hospital and that "456 patients died where medication – opioids – had been prescribed and administered without appropriate clinical justification".{{cite web |url= https://www.gosportpanel.independent.gov.uk/media/documents/070618_CCS207_CCS03183220761_Gosport_Inquiry_Whole_Document.pdf |title= Gosport War Memorial Hospital: The Report of the Gosport Independent Panel |website= gosportpanel.independent.gov.uk |access-date=2 July 2018}} In response, Lloyd called for a criminal investigation into the deaths at Gosport.{{cite news |last=Embury-Dennis |first=Tom |url= https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/gosport-inquiry-live-updates-hospital-deaths-dr-jane-barton-shipman-victims-a8407501.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/gosport-inquiry-live-updates-hospital-deaths-dr-jane-barton-shipman-victims-a8407501.html |archive-date=25 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title= Doctor 'responsible' for use of lethal levels of opiates which killed at least 450, inquiry finds |newspaper= The Independent |location= London |date=20 June 2018}}
Views
= Economy =
Lloyd has described himself as a "business-wing" liberal, in favour of light-touch regulation except in the case of investment banking.{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201212/cmhansrd/cm120112/debtext/120112-0002.htm|title=House of Commons Hansard Debates for 12 Jan 2012 (pt 0002)|last=Westminster|first=Department of the Official Report (Hansard), House of Commons|website=publications.parliament.uk|language=en|access-date=13 September 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/test/cm101216/debtext/101216-0002.htm|title=House of Commons Hansard Debates for 16 Dec 2010 (pt 0002)|last=Westminster|first=Department of the Official Report (Hansard), House of Commons|website=publications.parliament.uk|language=en|access-date=13 September 2017}} He is in favour of promoting apprenticeships as a viable career development alternative to university, suggesting the creation of a 'Royal Society of Apprentices' to improve the low perception of apprenticeships.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/bpp-professional-apprenticeships/can-the-uk-master-apprenticeships |title=Can the UK master apprenticeships? |last=Macdonell |first=Hamish |date=23 September 2013 |work=The Guardian |access-date=13 September 2017 |location= London}}
= Welfare reform =
Writing in a 2013 publication for the Liberal Democrat group Liberal Reform, Lloyd criticised both the left and the right for their attitudes to welfare, accusing the right of "boneheaded vituperation" and the left of "complacency" and of being patronising. He considers the Work Programme workfare scheme and Universal Credit introduced by the coalition government to be the liberal solution for unemployment.{{cite web |url= http://www.liberalreform.org.uk/coalition-and-beyond-liberal-reforms-for-the-decade-ahead/ |title=Coalition And Beyond, Liberal Reforms for the Decade Ahead |date=30 August 2015 |publisher= Liberal Reform |access-date=13 September 2017}} Although he was publicly supportive of welfare reforms, he repeatedly warned Employment Minister Chris Grayling against the use of negative language to describe the unemployed.{{cite news |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13695440 |title=Minister 'avoids workshy smears' |date=8 June 2011|work=BBC News |access-date=13 September 2017}}{{cite news |url= https://www.theguardian.com/society/2011/jul/24/welfare-policy-incites-hatred-disabled |title=Welfare policy 'turns public against disabled' |last=Boffey |first=Daniel |date=23 July 2011 |work=The Observer |location= London |access-date= 13 September 2017 }}
= European Union =
Lloyd voted to remain in the European Union in referendum on the United Kingdom's membership. He said that he would "respect the result" and would oppose a further referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union, contrary to his party's policy.{{cite news |url= https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/795771/General-Election-2017-Lib-Dem-defy-Tim-Farron-Brexit-vote-pledge |title='I respect the Brexit result' Liberal Democrat DEFIES Farron's call for another referendum |last=Hunt |first=Darren |date=23 September 2013 |work=Daily Express |location= London |access-date=12 February 2018}} A majority of voters (57%) in Lloyd's Eastbourne constituency voted to leave the European Union.{{Cite web|url=https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/who-we-are-and-what-we-do/elections-and-referendums/past-elections-and-referendums/eu-referendum/results-and-turnout-eu-referendum|title=Results and turnout at the EU referendum|website=www.electoralcommission.org.uk|date=25 September 2019 }}
On 6 December 2018, Lloyd resigned the Liberal Democrat whip in Parliament over Brexit. In his resignation letter to Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Alistair Carmichael, Lloyd said "[t]hough I fought as a Remainer during the referendum...I also made a clear promise to my constituency...that I would accept the result, support the deal the PM brought back from the EU and not back calls for a second referendum...I will be keeping my word to my town...Consequently, I have decided the only honourable thing for me to do is to resign the party whip in Parliament.{{cite news |title=Eastbourne MP Stephen Lloyd resigns the Lib Dem Party Whip |date=6 December 2018 |work=Eastbourne Herald |url=https://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/eastbourne-mp-stephen-lloyd-resigns-the-lib-dem-party-whip-1-8731000}}
Lloyd subsequently reaffirmed his commitment to remaining in the European Union on announcement of the UK general election 2019.
References
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External links
- [http://eastbournelibdems.org.uk/ Eastbourne and Willingdon Liberal Democrats]{{UK MP links |parliament=stephen-lloyd/3968 |guardian=6542/stephen-lloyd |publicwhip=Stephen_Lloyd |theywork=stephen_lloyd |record=Stephen-Lloyd/Eastbourne/1342 |bbc=31663.stm |journalisted= }}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20150520125406/http://www.grassrootdiplomat.org/whoswho/ Stephen Lloyd MP, Grassroot Diplomat]
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Category:People educated at St George's College, Weybridge
Category:Liberal Democrats (UK) MPs for English constituencies
Category:Politics of Eastbourne
Category:British politicians with disabilities
Category:Independent members of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom