Wera Hobhouse

Wera von Reden was born on 8 February 1960 in Hanover.{{cite journal|year=2017|title=Hobhouse, Wera Benedicta, (born Feb. 1960), MP (Lib Dem) Bath, since 2017|journal=Who's Who|doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.289521}} She studied history and fine art at the University of Münster and then studied art for two years at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. She then moved back to Germany, completing a master's degree in history and fine art at the Free University of Berlin.{{cite web |url=http://werahobhouse-ldbath.nationbuilder.com/biography |title=Wera Hobhouse: Biography |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808155019/http://werahobhouse-ldbath.nationbuilder.com/biography |archive-date=8 August 2017 }} She married William Hobhouse in 1989 and moved to England the following year. They first lived in Liverpool, where she opened an art gallery on Falkner Street; in 1999 they moved to Rochdale.{{cite news |url=http://rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/110710/former-rochdale-councillor-wera-hobhouse-elected-mp-for-bath |title=Former Rochdale councillor Wera Hobhouse elected MP for Bath |website=Rochdale Online |date=16 June 2017 |access-date=28 June 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731033731/http://rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/110710/former-rochdale-councillor-wera-hobhouse-elected-mp-for-bath |archive-date=31 July 2017 }} Prior to her political career, she was a teacher, radio journalist and artist.{{cite news|url=http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/news/bath-news/big-interview-wera-hobhouse-goes-97952|title=Big interview: Wera Hobhouse goes from grassroots campaigner to vying for Bath's seat in parliament|last=Petherick|first=Sam|date=7 June 2017|newspaper=Bath Chronicle|access-date=11 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731030315/http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/news/bath-news/big-interview-wera-hobhouse-goes-97952|archive-date=31 July 2017|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thejc.com/comment/columnists/dysch-on-politics-middle-east-debate-1.441456|title=Same old Middle East debate? Maybe not|last=Dysch|first=Marcus|date=14 July 2017|website=The Jewish Chronicle|access-date=18 June 2018}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/news/bath-news/somewhat-vindicated-interview-baths-first-104517|title='Somewhat vindicated': Interview with Bath's first woman MP Wera Hobhouse|last=Petherick-Bath|first=Sam|date=10 June 2017|work=Bath Chronicle|access-date=18 June 2018}}

Hobhouse was first elected in 2004 as a Conservative councillor for the ward of Norden on Rochdale Council, Greater Manchester. Her political career in Rochdale was defined by the Spodden Valley asbestos controversy, which was the proposed development of 650 homes on an asbestos-contaminated site.{{cite news|url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/asbestos-concerns-very-real-firms-1086467|title=Asbestos concerns 'very real', firms finally admit|last=Dorsett|first=Bethan|newspaper=Manchester Evening News|access-date=30 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731030531/http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/asbestos-concerns-very-real-firms-1086467|archive-date=31 July 2017|url-status=live}} Hobhouse and her husband opposed the proposals, leading them to defect to the Liberal Democrats in 2005. They were criticised at the time for not triggering by-elections to seek fresh mandates as Liberal Democrat councillors.{{cite web|url=https://rochdalelibdems.org.uk/en/article/2005/0090526/rochdale-tories-in-meltdown-as-councillors-defect|title=Rochdale Tories in meltdown as Councillors defect (Rochdale Liberal Democrats)|publisher=Liberal Democrats (UK)|location=Rochdale|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731042011/https://rochdalelibdems.org.uk/en/article/2005/0090526/rochdale-tories-in-meltdown-as-councillors-defect|archive-date=31 July 2017|url-status=live|access-date=30 July 2017}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/party-fury-as-tory-defectors-join-1062851|title=Party fury as Tory defectors join Lib Dems|date=25 April 2005|work=Manchester Evening News|access-date=17 May 2018}} The development was successfully blocked in 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/21/spodden-valley/56480/seven-years-of-the-save-spodden-valley-campaign|title=Seven years of the Save Spodden Valley campaign|website=Rochdale Online|access-date=30 July 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731033415/http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/21/spodden-valley/56480/seven-years-of-the-save-spodden-valley-campaign|archive-date=31 July 2017}}

Hobhouse was re-elected in 2006 and 2010 for the Liberal Democrats in Norden.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/elections/election-results/5|title=Rochdale Online – Local Election 2006 – Results|website=www.rochdaleonline.co.uk|access-date=17 May 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/elections/election-results/1|title=Rochdale Online – Local Election 2010 – Results|website=www.rochdaleonline.co.uk|access-date=17 May 2018}} The Liberal Democrats assumed majority control of Rochdale Council in 2007; Hobhouse served as the cabinet member for the environment between 2006 and 2009 and chaired the health scrutiny committee from 2009 to 2010. After the Liberal Democrats lost majority control of the council in 2010, Hobhouse was elected as the leader of the much-reduced Liberal Democrat group on Rochdale Council in May 2011.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-13385905|title=Clegg critic Lib Dem leader quits|date=13 May 2011|work=BBC News|access-date=17 May 2018|language=en-GB}} In July 2011, Hobhouse accused a council officer of failing to act impartially but later apologised after the council officer began legal action for defamation.{{cite news|url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/apology-from-lib-dem-leader-wera-874124|title=Apology from Lib Dem leader Wera Hobhouse over conduct slur|last=Jones|first=Chris|date=26 October 2011|newspaper=Manchester Evening News|access-date=30 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731030648/http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/apology-from-lib-dem-leader-wera-874124|archive-date=31 July 2017|url-status=live}}

In 2014, she retired as a councillor for Norden and moved to Bath. In the local elections of May 2015 she stood unsuccessfully for election to the Bath and North East Somerset Council in the Peasedown ward.{{cite web|url=http://democracy.bathnes.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?XXR=0&ID=320&RPID=9636384|title=Peasedown|publisher=Bath and North East Somerset Council|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518075916/http://democracy.bathnes.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?XXR=0&ID=320&RPID=9636384|archive-date=18 May 2015|url-status=live|access-date=10 May 2015|date=7 May 2015}} On the same day, at the 2015 general election, Hobhouse unsuccessfully contested the constituency of North East Somerset,{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000846|title=Somerset North East|access-date=9 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150508051530/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000846|archive-date=8 May 2015|url-status=live|publisher=BBC News}} finishing fourth with 7.9% of the vote behind the incumbent Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Labour candidate, and the UKIP candidate.{{cite web |title=Election Data 2015 |url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017112223/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt |archive-date=17 October 2015 |access-date=17 October 2015 |publisher=Electoral Calculus}}{{cite news |title=Somerset North East |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000846 |access-date=8 May 2015 |publisher=BBC}}

Hobhouse stood as the Liberal Democrat candidate in Heywood and Middleton at the 2010 general election,{{Cite web |date=6 May 2010 |title=Election results for Heywood & Middleton, 6 May 2010 |url=http://democracy.rochdale.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?XXR=0&ID=25&RPID=38074 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731035454/http://democracy.rochdale.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?XXR=0&ID=25&RPID=38074 |archive-date=31 July 2017 |access-date=10 June 2017 |publisher=Rochdale Borough Council}} coming third with 22.7% of the vote behind the incumbent Labour MP Jim Dobbin and the Conservative candidate.{{Cite web |last=Council |first=Rochdale Metropolitan Borough |date=May 6, 2010 |title=Election results for Heywood & Middleton, 6 May 2010 |url=http://democracy.rochdale.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?XXR=0&ID=25&RPID=38074 |website=democracy.rochdale.gov.uk}}

In 2017, Hobhouse was selected as the Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for the constituency of Bath.{{cite news |last=Lowther |first=Ed |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-39949042 |title=Election 2017: How many women might win power? |publisher=BBC News |date=18 May 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170609113128/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-39949042 |archive-date=9 June 2017}} Hobhouse stood on a pro-European platform which emphasised housing, education, congestion and pollution concerns, as well as opposition to the incumbent Conservative MP's plans to link the A46 and A36 roads together. Her party emphasised the need for Labour supporters to vote tactically for Hobhouse to defeat the Conservatives.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/news/bath-news/who-bath-liberal-democrat-candidate-55779|title=Who is Bath Liberal Democrat candidate Wera Hobhouse?|last=Moorcraft|first=Bethan|date=11 May 2017|work=Bath Chronicle|access-date=18 June 2018}} At the snap 2017 general election, Hobhouse was elected to Parliament as the MP for Bath with 47.3% of the vote and a majority of 5,694 votes.{{Cite news |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000547|title=Bath parliamentary constituency – Election 2017 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=11 June 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170609164330/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000547 |archive-date=9 June 2017 }}{{Cite news |url= https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1SGkPQqosDbVL9tSX_uMNaXPGiW2z02z2fchDezlyNss/edit#gid=0 |title=GE2017 – Constituency results |work=Britain Elects |via=Google Docs |access-date=11 June 2017 }}

Following her election, Hobhouse was appointed as the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for housing, communities and local government.{{Cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/wera-hobhouse-british-debate-on-immigration-reminiscent-of-nazi-germany_uk_5ae5d7d8e4b04aa23f24011c|title=Lib Dem Wera Hobhouse Worries 'Toxic' Debate On Immigration Reminiscent Of Nazi Germany|last=Simons|first=Ned|date=1 May 2018|work=HuffPost UK|access-date=18 June 2018|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/25648/wera_hobhouse/bath|title=Wera Hobhouse MP, Bath – TheyWorkForYou|website=TheyWorkForYou|language=en|access-date=18 June 2018}} She made her maiden speech on 29 June 2017, and sat on the Committee on Exiting the European Union.{{Cite web|title=Economy and Jobs – Hansard Online – 29 June 2017|url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2017-06-29/debates/D199DEF4-2B92-4D43-BF7D-01F7D98591A3/EconomyAndJobs#contribution-BA652E48-316B-44CC-822B-A872F2D6B136|date=29 June 2017|website=hansard.parliament.uk|language=en|access-date=18 June 2018}}

On 6 March 2018, Hobhouse presented a Private Members' Bill to amend the Sexual Offences Act 2003; her bill aimed to outlaw acts of voyeurism, especially upskirting, which were not then explicitly covered by UK law.{{Cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2017-2019/0174/18174.pdf|title=Voyeurism (Offences) Bill|date=6 March 2018|website=House of Commons|access-date=17 May 2018}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/upskirting-lib-dem-mp-new-law-international-womens-day-wera-hobhouse-sexual-harassment-a8246316.html|title=Liberal Democrat MP tables new law to make 'upskirting' a criminal offence|date=8 March 2018|work=The Independent|access-date=17 May 2018|language=en-GB}} Justice Secretary David Gauke signalled that the government would support Hobhouse's bill,{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/04/24/new-law-could-made-against-upskirting-uk/|title=New law could be made against upskirting in the UK|date=24 April 2018|work=The Telegraph|access-date=17 May 2018|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}} which was later supported by the Prime Minister, Theresa May.{{Cite news|url=https://www.werahobhouse.co.uk/prime_minister_backs_wera_hobhouse|title=Prime Minister backs Wera Hobhouse MP's calls to make upskirting an offence|date=3 May 2018|work=Liberal Democrats – Wera Hobhouse MP|access-date=18 June 2018|language=en}} Hobhouse's bill was not debated at its presentation in the House of Commons.{{Cite web|url=https://services.parliament.uk/bills/2017-19/voyeurismoffences.html|title=Voyeurism (Offences) Bill 2017–19 — UK Parliament|website=UK Parliament Services|language=en|access-date=17 May 2018}} At its second reading in the Commons on 15 June 2018, Conservative MP Christopher Chope objected to Hobhouse's bill, preventing its passage through the Commons.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-44496427|title=New upskirting law blocked by Tory MP|date=15 June 2018|work=BBC News|access-date=15 June 2018|language=en-GB}} The Prime Minister, Theresa May, expressed her disappointment at the objection.{{Cite news|last=Allegretti|first=Aubrey|date=16 June 2018|title=Theresa May 'disappointed' as Tory MP Sir Christopher Chope blocks upskirting bill|language=en-GB|work=Sky News|url=https://news.sky.com/story/theresa-may-disappointed-as-tory-mp-sir-christopher-chope-blocks-upskirting-bill-11405840|access-date=16 June 2018}} Following his objection, the government reaffirmed its commitment to introduce legislation to outlaw upskirting.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/jun/18/upskirting-government-confirms-plan-to-introduce-ban|title=Upskirting: government confirms plan to introduce ban|last=Crerar|first=Pippa|date=18 June 2018|website=The Guardian|language=en|access-date=19 June 2018}} A government bill to outlaw upskirting was introduced to the House of Commons on 21 June 2018;{{Cite news|url=https://news.sky.com/story/weve-done-it-campaigners-celebrate-as-upskirting-criminalised-in-new-government-bill-11412284|title=Campaigners celebrate as government tables bill to tackle upskirting|last=Bradley|first=Sorcha|date=21 June 2018|work=Sky News|access-date=21 June 2018|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2017-2019/0235/18235.pdf|title=Voyeurism (Offences) (No. 2) Bill|date=21 June 2018|website=publications.parliament.uk|access-date=13 July 2018}} and passed its second reading on 3 July 2018 to become the Voyeurism (Offences) Act 2019.

In an interview with HuffPost UK published in May 2018, Hobhouse warned against what she described as a "toxic" immigration debate in the UK. She acknowledged her party's limited resources following its electoral collapse at the 2015 general election, and affirmed that she was happy with Vince Cable as the party's leader. She urged the party to do more to increase its diversity. In July 2018, Hobhouse was criticised for claiming £4,800 in parliamentary expenses for a heavy duty colour printer. Defending her actions, Hobhouse said that she had saved the taxpayer £40,000 by taking over the lease from Bath's previous MP and that she required the printer for her constituency letters.{{Cite news|url=https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/992471/Wera-Hobhouse-Bath-MP-officer-printer|title=I write a lot of letters, insists the MP with a £5,000 printer|last=Tominey|first=Camilla|date=22 July 2018|work=Express.co.uk|access-date=25 July 2018|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/bath-mp-wera-hobhouse-claims-1795678|title=Bath MP claims nearly £5k for printer|last=Petherick|first=Sam|date=18 July 2018|work=somersetlive|access-date=25 July 2018}} In October 2018, Hobhouse's constituency office announced that it had completed 6,000 pieces of casework.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bathecho.co.uk/news/politics/mp-wera-hobhouse-thanks-team-completion-6000-cases-80875/|title=Bath MP Wera Hobhouse thanks team after completion of 6000 cases|date=19 October 2018|website=Bath Echo|language=en-GB|access-date=25 April 2019}}

File:Wera Hobhouse, winner in Bath 2019 general election.jpg

In February 2019, Hobhouse was made the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for the environment and climate change.{{Cite web|last=|date=18 November 2014|title=Wera Hobhouse|url=https://www.libdems.org.uk/wera-hobhouse|access-date=3 November 2019|website=Liberal Democrats|language=en}} In this capacity, Hobhouse pushed for an end to most carbon emissions by 2030, and for net-zero carbon emissions to be achieved by 2045 at the latest.{{Cite news |last=Harvey |first=Fiona |author-link=Fiona Harvey |date=14 September 2019 |title=Lib Dems set out radical agenda for tackling climate emergency |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/sep/14/lib-dems-set-out-radical-agenda-for-tackling-climate-emergency |access-date=3 November 2019 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} This became the policy position of the Liberal Democrats at their conference in September 2019, where Hobhouse gave a keynote speech on tackling the climate crisis.{{Cite web|last=|date=31 July 2019|title=F29: Tackling the Climate Emergency|url=https://www.libdems.org.uk/f29-climate-crisis|access-date=3 November 2019|website=Liberal Democrats|language=en}} Among the proposals that she has promoted to meet these targets, Hobhouse has called for a permanent ban on fracking, for increased investment in renewable energy, for greater powers to be given to local authorities to cut emissions, and for all airport expansion to be halted until a replacement can be found for jet fuel.

At the 2019 general election, Hobhouse was re-elected as MP for Bath with an increased vote share of 54.5% and an increased majority of 12,322.{{Cite web |last=Godfrey |date=14 November 2019 |title=Statement of Persons Nominated |url=https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/sites/default/files/sitedocuments/Your-Council/Elections/ukpge_2019_statement_of_persons_nominated_bat.pdf |access-date=14 November 2019 |publisher=Bath and North East Somerset Council}}{{cite news |title=Bath parliamentary constituency – Election 2019 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000547 |access-date=13 December 2019 |work=BBC News}}

In February 2020, Hobhouse announced that she would stand in the 2020 Liberal Democrats leadership election, before withdrawing in June and endorsing Layla Moran.{{Cite news|last=Bush|first=Stephen|date=6 February 2020|title=Wera Hobhouse is the first Lib Dem leadership candidate – but she's unlikely to win|work=New Statesman|url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2020/02/wera-hobhouse-first-lib-dem-leadership-candidate-she-s-unlikely-win|access-date=27 January 2022}}{{Cite web|date=23 June 2020|title=Liberal Democrat leadership race: Wera Hobhouse drops out and backs Layla Moran|url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/article/liberal-democrat-leadership-race-wera-hobhouse-drops-out-and-backs-layla-moran|access-date=23 June 2020|website=Politics Home|language=en}}

Hobhouse is a former member of the governing council of the Electoral Reform Society.{{cite web |url=https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/who-we-are/our-team/our-council/ |title=Our council |publisher=Electoral Reform Society |access-date=22 June 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171209122309/https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/who-we-are/our-team/our-council/ |archive-date=9 December 2017 }} She supports proportional representation for UK elections and claims that the coalition government's failure to secure electoral reform was its "biggest disappointment".

Hobhouse supported abortion reform in Northern Ireland,{{Cite news|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/hannahalothman/these-mps-say-theyll-force-the-government-to-reform|title=These MPs Say They'll Force The Government To Reform Northern Irish Abortion Law|last=Al-Othman|first=Hannah|date=7 June 2018|work=BuzzFeed|access-date=18 June 2018|language=en}} and has supported a campaign to improve the treatment of eating disorders, including by leading a parliamentary debate on destigmatising them.{{Cite web|title=Bath MP Wera Hobhouse calls for better treatment to tackle eating disorders|url=https://www.bathecho.co.uk/news/politics/wera-hobhouse-better-treatment-eating-disorders-81137/|date=6 November 2018|website=Bath Echo|language=en-GB|access-date=25 April 2019}}{{Cite web|title=Eating disorder campaign supported by Bath MP reaches 10 Downing Street|url=https://www.bathecho.co.uk/news/community/eating-disorder-campaign-bath-mp-10-downing-street-83681/|date=10 April 2019|website=Bath Echo|language=en-GB|access-date=25 April 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bathecho.co.uk/news/health/wera-hobhouse-parliament-debate-eating-disorders-80845/|title=Bath MP Wera Hobhouse leads parliament debate on eating disorders|date=17 October 2018|website=Bath Echo|language=en-GB|access-date=25 April 2019}} In local politics, she launched a petition to fund a large police station for the city.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bathecho.co.uk/news/politics/bath-mp-wera-hobhouse-petition-proper-police-station-80138/|title=Bath MP Wera Hobhouse launches petition for 'proper police station'|date=4 September 2018|website=Bath Echo|language=en-GB|access-date=25 April 2019}}

In May 2021, alongside celebrities and other public figures, Hobhouse was a signatory to an open letter from Stylist magazine which called on the government to address what it described as an "epidemic of male violence" by funding an "ongoing, high-profile, expert-informed awareness campaign on men's violence against women and girls".{{cite news |title="We're calling on you to act now": read Stylist's open letter to Priti Patel about ending male violence against women and girls |url=https://www.stylist.co.uk/health/women/open-letter-priti-patel-violence-women-girls/520846 |access-date=20 May 2021 |work=Stylist}}

Hobhouse introduced a Private Members' Bill, the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Bill, in the House of Commons to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace, which was thought would force a culture change in employment. The Bill was passed on 20 October 2023.{{Cite web |title=Parliamentary Bills |url=https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3205}}{{Cite web |date=2023-10-20 |title=The Worker Protection Bill will become law |url=https://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/news/the-worker-protection-bill-will-become-law |access-date=2023-10-20 |website=The Fawcett Society |language=en}}

At the 2024 general election, Hobhouse was again re-elected, with a decreased vote share of 41.3% and a decreased majority of 11,218,{{cite web |date=7 June 2024 |title=Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll - Election of Member of Parliament for the Bath Constituency |url=https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/statement-persons-nominated-and-notice-poll-election-member-parliament-bath-constituency |access-date=7 June 2024 |publisher=Bath and North East Somerset Council}} but lost her place in the frontbench team. She is a member of the Energy Security and Net Zero Select Committee.

Hobhouse has been married to the businessman William Hobhouse since 1989. They both cite the fall of the Berlin Wall as a pivotal moment in their lives, which they witnessed when they lived in Germany.{{cite news|last1=Fitzpatrick|first1=Katie|title=When the wall fell into history|url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/when-the-wall-fell-into-history-934679|access-date=9 December 2017|newspaper=Manchester Evening News|date=12 January 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171209122309/http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/when-the-wall-fell-into-history-934679|archive-date=9 December 2017}} They have four children, two sons and two daughters. She naturalised as a British citizen in 2007.{{cite web |last=Wadeson |first=R. |date=16 January 2012 |title=Candidate Leadership Programme – Participant Profiles |url=https://eastmidslibdems.org.uk/en/document/candidates-selection-and-committee/candidate-leadership-programme/candidate-leadership-programme-participant-profiles.pdf |publisher=Liberal Democrats |access-date=4 May 2018}}

Hobhouse is a Christian. Although her mother and grandmother identified as Christian, her great-grandfather was Jewish; which meant that her family was persecuted under the Nuremberg Laws. Hobhouse is fluent in English, German and French. She cites Barack Obama and William Wilberforce as her political idols.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/news/bath-news/whats-naughtiest-thing-wera-hobhouse-107865|title=What's the naughtiest thing new Bath MP Wera Hobhouse has ever done?|last=Petherick-Bath|first=Sam|date=13 June 2017|work=Bath Chronicle|access-date=18 June 2018}}

In April 2025, on arriving in Hong Kong to visit her son and newborn grandson who are resident there, Hobhouse was refused entry to Hong Kong and was deported. She was given no explanation.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj6817zlglwo|title=Lib Dem MP refused entry to Hong Kong|date=12 April 2025|work=BBC News|access-date=12 April 2025}}

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Category:1960 births

Category:Living people

Category:UK MPs 2017–2019

Category:UK MPs 2019–2024

Category:UK MPs 2024–present

Category:Liberal Democrats (UK) MPs for English constituencies

Category:Conservative Party (UK) councillors

Category:Politics of Bath, Somerset

Category:Female members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies

Category:Councillors in Greater Manchester

Category:Liberal Democrats (UK) councillors

Category:Politicians from Hanover

Category:21st-century British women politicians

Category:German emigrants to the United Kingdom

Category:British people of German-Jewish descent

Category:British Christians

Category:21st-century English women

Category:21st-century English politicians

Category:Women councillors in England

Category:University of Münster alumni

Category:Free University of Berlin alumni