{{short description|British independent politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2015}} {{Use British English|date=February 2015}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Julie Girling | honorific_suffix = | image = Member of the European Parliament Julie McCulloch Girling.jpg | caption = | birth_date = | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | office2 = [[Member of the European Parliament]] | term_start2 = 14 July 2009 | term_end2 = [[2019 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom|1 July 2019]] | predecessor2 = [[Neil Parish]] | successor2 = [[Christina Jordan]] | constituency2 = [[South West England (European Parliament constituency)|South West England]] | office = [[Renew Party|Leader of the Renew Party]] | term_start = 7 June 2019 | term_end = 7 July 2020 | predecessor = Annabel Mullin | successor = James Clarke | constituency = | office3 = | term_start3 = | term_end3 = | predecessor3 = | successor3 = | constituency3 = | party = [[Renew Party]] (2019–2022) | other_party = [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] (1992–2017)<br />Independent (2017–2019) | occupation = | majority = | relations = | spouse = | alma_mater = [[University of Liverpool]] | children = | website = }}
'''Julie McCulloch Girling''' (born 21 December 1956) is a British politician who served as a [[Member of the European Parliament]] (MEP) for [[South West England (European Parliament constituency)|South West England]] between 2009 and 2019, and leader of the [[Renew Party]] from 2019 to 2020.
Formerly a [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]], she was suspended from the party in 2017 and in February 2018 joined the [[European People's Party group]], while sitting as an [[independent politician|independent]]. She supported [[Change UK]] in April 2019. In May 2019, she called on voters to support the [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]], and in June was appointed as interim leader of the [[Renew Party]].
==Life== Girling was educated at [[Twickenham County Grammar School]], followed by the [[University of Liverpool]] from which she graduated [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]] in History and Politics in 1979. Her first job was as a graduate trainee with [[Ford Motors]] from 1979 to 1982. She then spent six years as a buyer with [[Argos (retailer)|Argos]], leaving in 1988 to become a marketing manager at [[Dixons Retail|Dixons]]. She then held similar positions with [[Boots UK|Boots]] and [[Halfords]], which she left in 1993. She was a [[freelance]] trainer from 1995 to 2009.<ref name=who>'GIRLING, Julie McCulloch', in ''[[Who's Who (UK)|Who's Who 2014]]'' (London: A. & C. Black, 2014); [http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U253778, online edition] by [[Oxford University Press]], December 2013, accessed 17 January 2014</ref>
In 1981, she married Warren Glyn Girling; they have one son.<ref name=who/>
==Political career== Girling was a [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] member of [[Cotswold District Council]] from 1999 to 2009, serving as Leader of the Council from 2003 to 2006. She also served on [[Gloucestershire County Council]] from 2000 to 2009, rising to become its Cabinet Member for the Environment.<ref name=who/> She stepped down from both local government leadership positions in the run-up to the European Parliament elections of 2009,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cotswoldnews.com/news/1127/former-council-leader-cllr-julie-girling-resigns-from-cdc/|title=Former Council leader Cllr Julie Girling resigns from CDC | Cotswold News|website=www.cotswoldnews.com|access-date=17 June 2009|archive-date=1 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201135525/http://www.cotswoldnews.com/news/1127/former-council-leader-cllr-julie-girling-resigns-from-cdc|url-status=live}}</ref> at which she was elected as a [[Member of the European Parliament]] for [[South West England (European Parliament constituency)|South West England]].<ref name=who/>
She and fellow MEP [[Richard Ashworth]] were suspended from the Conservative Party and had the [[Whip (politics)|whip]] withdrawn on 7 October 2017, after both supported a vote in Strasbourg stating that not enough progress had been made in the first-stage Brexit negotiations to allow discussion to move onto the trade-deal phase of the talks; however, they remained in the [[European Conservatives and Reformists Group|European Conservatives and Reformists]] (ECR) parliamentary group.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/oct/07/whip-withdrawn-from-tory-meps-who-voted-to-block-brexit-progress|work=The Guardian|title=Whip withdrawn from Tory MEPs who voted to block Brexit progress|date=7 October 2017|access-date=6 October 2019|archive-date=21 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190921172032/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/oct/07/whip-withdrawn-from-tory-meps-who-voted-to-block-brexit-progress|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-meps/mays-party-suspends-two-eu-lawmakers-over-brexit-vote-idUSKBN1CD0E6 |title=May's party suspends two EU lawmakers over Brexit vote |date=2017-10-07 |work=Reuters |access-date=2018-03-04 |language=en-US |archive-date=16 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416140057/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-meps/mays-party-suspends-two-eu-lawmakers-over-brexit-vote-idUSKBN1CD0E6 |url-status=live }}</ref> On 28 February 2018, both MEPs left the ECR group to join the [[European People's Party group]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-tory-meps-defect-epp-ecr-european-peoples-party-merkel-juncker-julie-girling-richard-ashworth-a8232781.html |title=Two MEPs elected as Tories defect to join Jean-Claude Juncker's parliamentary group |date=2018-02-28 |work=[[The Independent]] |access-date=2018-03-04 |language=en-UK |archive-date=8 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180408072245/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-tory-meps-defect-epp-ecr-european-peoples-party-merkel-juncker-julie-girling-richard-ashworth-a8232781.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
On 16 April 2019, it was announced that both Girling and Ashworth had joined [[Change UK]]. Girling said she was "looking forward to being able to use my extensive experience as part of the Change UK team".<ref name='bbc160419'>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47949665 |title=Change UK party approved for European elections |date=16 April 2019 |access-date=16 April 2019 |work=BBC News |archive-date=16 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416121639/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47949665 |url-status=live }}</ref> However, on 10 May, Girling encouraged Remain supporters in the South West to vote for the [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] in the [[2019 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom|2019 European Parliament election]], saying they are "clearly the lead Remain party in the South West".<ref name='politicshome100519'>{{cite news |url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/liberal-democrats/vince-cable/news/103786/change-uk-mep-urges-voters-back |title=Change UK MEP urges voters to back Lib Dems in European elections |website=PoliticsHome |first=Kevin |last=Schofield |date=10 May 2019 |access-date=10 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190510145428/https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/liberal-democrats/vince-cable/news/103786/change-uk-mep-urges-voters-back |archive-date=10 May 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Girling and Change UK later stated that she had never been a member or one of their MEPs.<ref name='schofield100519'>{{cite tweet |user=PolhomeEditor |number=1126853312215748609 |title=Change UK say she's never been a member or one of their MEPs, as she confirmed to Adam. |author=Kevin Schofield |date=10 May 2019}}</ref> She did not stand for re-election in 2019.
On 7 June 2019 she became interim leader of the [[Renew Party]].<ref>{{cite tweet |user=RenewParty |number=1136939228103880711 |title=We are delighted that @juliegirling will be stepping in as interim leader. |date=7 June 2019}}</ref>
On 18 November 2019, and in her role as leader of Renew, she was one of four minor party representatives who took part in an election debate for LBC Radio ahead of the [[2019 United Kingdom general election|2019 general election]]; the debate was chaired by [[Iain Dale]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/iain-dale/cross-question-with-iain-dale-minor-parties-debate/|title=Cross Question with Iain Dale: Minor Parties Debate|website=LBC|date=18 November 2019|accessdate=30 November 2019|archive-date=21 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191221123509/https://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/iain-dale/cross-question-with-iain-dale-minor-parties-debate/|url-status=live}}</ref>
Girling announced her intention to step down from her leadership role in July 2020. James Clarke was elected to succeed her on 7 July 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.renewparty.org.uk/leadership_changes|title=Renew Announces Leadership Changes|website=Renew Party|accessdate=9 March 2021|archive-date=26 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126175701/https://www.renewparty.org.uk/leadership_changes|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist|40em}}
== External links == *[http://www.juliegirling.com/ Julie Girling's official website]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Girling, Julie}} [[Category:1956 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Alumni of the University of Liverpool]] [[Category:Conservative Party (UK) councillors]] [[Category:Conservative Party (UK) MEPs]] [[Category:Members of Gloucestershire County Council]] [[Category:European People's Party politicians]] [[Category:MEPs for England 2009–2014]] [[Category:MEPs for England 2014–2019]] [[Category:21st-century women MEPs for England]] [[Category:Leaders of local authorities of England]] [[Category:Women councillors in England]] [[Category:Leaders of political parties in the United Kingdom]]