{{Short description|British politician (born 1972)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = [[The Right Honourable]] | name = The Baroness Pidgeon | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE}} | image = Official portrait of Baroness Pidgeon crop 2.jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2024 | office = [[Member of the House of Lords]] | status = [[Lord Temporal]] | term_label = [[Life peer]]age | term_start = 12 August 2024 | term_end = | office1 = Leader of the [[London Liberal Democrats|Liberal Democrats]] in the [[London Assembly]] | leader1 = {{plainlist| * [[Sir Nick Clegg]] * [[Tim Farron]] * [[Sir Vince Cable]] * [[Jo Swinson]] * [[Sal Brinton|The Baroness Brinton]] * [[Mark Pack]] * [[Sir Ed Davey]] }} | term_start1 = 13 May 2010<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.markpack.org.uk/10702/caroline-pidgeon-is-new-leader-of-the-liberal-democrat-london-assembly-group/|title=Caroline Pidgeon is new Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group|date=13 May 2010|last=Pack|first=Mark|website=Mark Pack|access-date=6 October 2019}}</ref> | term_end1 = 6 May 2024 | predecessor1 = [[Mike Tuffrey]] | successor1 = [[Hina Bokhari]] | office2 = [[Member of the London Assembly]] | term_start2 = 1 May 2008 | term_end2 = 6 May 2024 | office3 = Member of [[Southwark London Borough Council]] for Newington | term_start3 = 7 May 1998 | term_end3 = 6 May 2010 | predecessor3 = | successor3 = Catherine Bowman | office4 = [[English Liberal Democrats|Chair of the English Liberal Democrats]] | term_start4 = January 2025 | predecessor4 = Lucas North | birth_name = Caroline Valerie Pidgeon | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1972|09|29|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Eastleigh]], Hampshire, England | death_date = | death_place = | spouse = {{marriage|Paul Miles|2006}} | party = [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] | relations = | children = 1 | occupation = Politician | profession = | signature = | website = {{Official URL|http://www.carolinepidgeon.org/}} | footnotes = | alma_mater = [[Aberystwyth University]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.carolinepidgeon.org/about|title=About me|date=January 19, 2007|website=Caroline Pidgeon}}</ref> }}
'''Caroline Valerie Pidgeon, Baroness Pidgeon''', {{post-nominals|country=GBR|sep=,|MBE}} (born 29 September 1972), is a British politician. She served as the leader of the [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] in the [[London Assembly]] from 2010 to 2024, and was a [[member of the London Assembly]] (AM) from 2008 to 2024. Pidgeon was a councillor on [[Southwark London Borough Council]] from 1998 to 2010 and has been a member of the [[House of Lords]] since 2024.
== Early life and education == Pidgeon was born in [[Eastleigh]], Hampshire, on 29 September 1972 to Eric and Valerie Pidgeon.<ref name="WW">{{Who's Who |title=Pidgeon, Caroline Valerie |year=2023 |id=U247021 |doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U247021}}</ref> She grew up in [[Hampshire]], and graduated from [[Aberystwyth University]] with a degree in economics in 1994.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Caroline Pidgeon |url=http://www.ageuklondonblog.org.uk/author/carolinepidgeon/ |access-date=8 June 2018 |website=Age UK London Blog |date=14 March 2016 |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.london.gov.uk/people/assembly/caroline-pidgeon/more-about|title=Caroline Pidgeon|website=London City Hall|language=en|access-date=8 June 2018|archive-date=12 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612140345/https://www.london.gov.uk/people/assembly/caroline-pidgeon/more-about|url-status=dead}}</ref> After university, Pidgeon moved to London.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=12 October 2017 |title=Caroline Pidgeon |language=en |work=Liberal Democrats |url=https://www.libdems.org.uk/caroline_pidgeon |access-date=8 June 2018}}</ref>
== Career == From 1994 to 1996, Pidgeon was a political researcher for Rose Colley, a councillor on [[Southwark London Borough Council]]. Pidgeon was also a political researcher at [[Brent Council]] from 1996 to 1999. She was employed at [[Croydon Health Authority]] as a communications manager from 1999 to 2002, and undertook the same role at [[Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust]] from 2002 to 2006.<ref name="WW" />
At the [[1998 Southwark London Borough Council election|1998 local election]], Pidgeon was elected as a Liberal Democrat councillor for [[Southwark London Borough Council]], representing the ward of Newington.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Local-Elections-Handbook-1998-complete.pdf|title=Local Elections Handbook 1998|last1=Rallings|first1=Colin|last2=Thrasher|first2=Michael|date=1998|access-date=8 June 2018}}</ref> During her time on the Council, she served as deputy leader of the council (from 2002 to 2004), and as a cabinet member for Education (2004–2006) and Children's Services (2006–2008).<ref name="WW" /><ref name=":0" />
Between 2002 and 2010, Pidgeon was a board member of Lambeth and Southwark Housing Association.<ref name=":0" /> Pidgeon has also been a Trustee of the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education since 2005.<ref name=":1" />
In the [[2008 London Assembly election]], Pidgeon was selected as the Liberal Democrats' candidate for the Lambeth and Southwark constituency; she came second to [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]'s [[Valerie Shawcross]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/bsp/hi/elections/london/08/html/10.stm|title=BBC NEWS {{!}} Election 2008 {{!}} London Elections: Lambeth & Southwark|website=BBC News|language=en-GB|access-date=8 June 2018}}</ref> In the same election, she was the third candidate on the party's London-wide party list and was thereby elected onto the London Assembly.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/elections/london/08/html/assembly.stm|title=BBC NEWS {{!}} Election 2008 {{!}} London Assembly Election 2008|website=BBC News|language=en-GB|access-date=8 June 2018}}</ref> Pidgeon was [[2012 London Assembly election|re-elected in 2012]] and [[2016 London Assembly election|again in 2016]].
Following her election to the London Assembly, Pidgeon retired from Southwark Council at the [[2010 Southwark London Borough Council election|2010 local election]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.southwark.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/voting-and-elections/previous-elections-results?chapter=8|title=Previous elections results: 2010 local council elections|website=Southwark Council|language=en|access-date=8 June 2018|archive-date=12 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143746/https://www.southwark.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/voting-and-elections/previous-elections-results?chapter=8|url-status=dead}}</ref> At the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election]] on the same day, Pidgeon unsuccessfully stood in the [[Vauxhall (UK Parliament constituency)|Vauxhall constituency]], finishing in second place.<ref name="WW" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/election2010/results/constituency/e83.stm|title=BBC News {{!}} Election 2010 {{!}} Constituency {{!}} Vauxhall|website=BBC News|access-date=8 June 2018}}</ref>
On the London Assembly, Pidgeon served as a member of the [[Metropolitan Police Authority]] between 2008 and 2012 and the [[London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority]] between 2008 and 2010.<ref name=":1" /> Pidgeon served as Chair of the London Assembly's Transport Committee.
In the 2013 New Year Honours, Pidgeon was appointed a [[Member of the Order of the British Empire]] (MBE) for public and political service.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=60367 |date=29 December 2012 |page=21 |supp=y }}</ref>
In September 2015, Pidgeon secured the Liberal Democrats' candidacy for the [[2016 London mayoral election]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-34276702|title=Lib Dems name mayoral candidate|date=17 September 2015|work=BBC News|access-date=8 June 2018|language=en-GB}}</ref> Pidgeon promised to focus on housing, affordable childcare, air pollution and public transport.<ref name="Lib Dems select">{{cite web|last1=Perraudin|first1=Frances|title=Lib Dems select Caroline Pidgeon to fight London mayor election|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/sep/17/lib-dems-select-caroline-pidgeon-to-fight-london-mayor-election|work=The Guardian|accessdate=17 September 2015|date=17 September 2015}}</ref> She emphasised the need to ensure that workers can live in the city by using rent control and reducing public transport costs.<ref name="Lib Dems select" /> She increased the Lib Dem vote from 4.2% to 4.6% but the party remained in fourth place. She held her seat on the London Assembly as the only Liberal Democrat.<ref name="BBC results 2016">{{cite web|title=Election Results|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2016/london/results|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=10 May 2016|ref=7 May 2016}}</ref> She ranked 13 out of 50 on the Top 50 Influential Lib Dems of 2020 list.<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 November 2020 |title=Top 50 Lib Dems of 2020 |url=https://top50libdems.com/2020-2/ |access-date=2021-06-19 |archive-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410113407/https://top50libdems.com/2020-2/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Pidgeon was reelected as one of two Liberal Democrat members in the [[2021 London Assembly election]]. In November 2022 she announced that she would not seek reelection in the [[2024 London Assembly election|2024 election]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://twitter.com/CarolinePidgeon/status/1591438748994224131 | website=x.com | title=It's been an honour to have served for 14 years as a Lib Dem London Assembly Member | author=Caroline Pidgeon}}</ref>
Pidgeon assumed the role of chair of the [[English Liberal Democrats]] on 1 January 2025.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.englishlibdems.org.uk/the-english-council|title=The English Council - English Liberal Democrats|website=www.englishlibdems.org.uk}}</ref>
== Peerage == After standing down from the London Assembly, Pidgeon was nominated for a [[life peer]]age in the [[2024 Dissolution Honours]].<ref>{{London Gazette |date=7 August 2024 |issue=64480 |page=15222 |supp=y}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Dissolution Peerages 2024 |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dissolution-peerages-2024 |date=4 July 2024 |access-date=4 July 2024 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Whannel |first=Kate |date=4 July 2024 |title=Theresa May and 'bionic' MP awarded peerages |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c84975xgdwlo |work=BBC News |language=en |access-date=4 July 2024}}</ref> She was created ''Baroness Pidgeon, of Newington in the London Borough of Southwark'', on 12 August 2024.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=16 August 2024 |issue=64489 |page=15874}}</ref>
== Personal life == Pidgeon lives with her husband, Paul Miles, whom she married in 2006, and their son. Outside of politics, she enjoys cinema and modern art.<ref name="WW" /><ref name=":1" />
==Footnotes== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} {{Wikiquote}} *{{Official website|http://www.carolinepidgeon.org/}} *{{UK MP links | parliament = 5366 | publicwhip = Baroness_Pidgeon | theywork = 26645 }}
{{Current Liberal Democrat Peers}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pidgeon, Caroline Pidgeon, Baroness}} [[Category:1972 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:20th-century British women politicians]] [[Category:21st-century British women politicians]] [[Category:Alumni of Aberystwyth University]] [[Category:Councillors in the London Borough of Southwark]] [[Category:Liberal Democrat Members of the London Assembly]] [[Category:Liberal Democrats (UK) councillors]] [[Category:Liberal Democrats (UK) life peers]] [[Category:Liberal Democrats (UK) parliamentary candidates]] [[Category:Life peeresses created by Charles III]] [[Category:Life peers created by Charles III]] [[Category:London AMs 2008–2012]] [[Category:London AMs 2012–2016]] [[Category:London AMs 2016–2021]] [[Category:London AMs 2021–2024]] [[Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire]] [[Category:People from Eastleigh]] [[Category:UK councillors 1998–2002]] [[Category:UK councillors 2002–2006]] [[Category:UK councillors 2006–2010]] [[Category:Women councillors in England]]