# Rodney Berman
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{{Short description|British politician (born 1969)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2025}}
{{infobox officeholder
| birth_name = Rodney Simon Berman
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1969}}
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|OBE}}
| image = Rodney Berman in 2021.jpg
| caption = Berman in 2021
| birth_place = [Glasgow](/source/Glasgow), [Scotland](/source/Scotland)
| alma_mater = [University of Glasgow](/source/University_of_Glasgow) ([BSc](/source/Bachelor_of_Science), [PhD](/source/Doctor_of_Philosophy))
| spouse = {{marriage|Nick Speed|2006}}
| partner =
| party = [Liberal Democrat](/source/Liberal_Democrat_(UK))
| office1 = [Cardiff Councillor](/source/Cardiff_Council) for [Penylan](/source/Penylan)
| term_start1 = 2017
| status1 = incumbent
| office2 = Leader of [Cardiff Council](/source/Cardiff_Council)
| term_start2 = 2004
| term_end2 = 2012
| predecessor2 = [Russell Goodway](/source/Russell_Goodway)
| successor2 = Heather Joyce
| office3 = [Cardiff Councillor](/source/Cardiff_Council) for [Plasnewydd](/source/Plasnewydd)
| term3 = 2004-2012
| module = {{Infobox scientist
| embed = yes
| fields = [Pharmacology](/source/Pharmacology), [physiology](/source/physiology)
| thesis_title = Modulation of Endothelial Barrier Function
| thesis_year = 1994
| thesis_url = https://theses.gla.ac.uk/74834/
| workplaces = [University of Wales College of Medicine](/source/University_of_Wales_College_of_Medicine)
[British Medical Association](/source/British_Medical_Association)
}}
}}
'''Rodney Simon Berman''' [OBE](/source/Officer_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire) is a [Liberal Democrat](/source/Liberal_Democrats_(UK)) politician, currently a councillor for the [Penylan](/source/Penylan) ward of [Cardiff](/source/Cardiff). He was formerly a councillor for [Plasnewydd](/source/Plasnewydd) ward, and was also leader of [Cardiff Council](/source/Cardiff_Council) between 2004 and 2012.
==Early life and education==
Born and raised in [Glasgow](/source/Glasgow),[{{Cite web |last=Mosalski |first=Ruth |date=2021-03-28 |title=Senedd election 2021: Who is standing in Cardiff Central? |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/senedd-election-2021-cardiff-central-19559776 |access-date=2026-04-21 |website=Wales Online |language=en}}] Berman attended [Woodfarm High School](/source/Woodfarm_High_School) before studying [pharmacology](/source/pharmacology) at the [University of Glasgow](/source/University_of_Glasgow), graduating with a BSc and a PhD.[{{Cite web |last=Mosalski |first=Ruth |date=2019-11-10 |title=The General Election 2019 candidates standing in Rhondda |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/general-election-2019-candidates-standing-16951435 |access-date=2026-04-21 |website=Wales Online |language=en}}][{{Cite web |title=Rodney Berman - Vote 2001 Candidates |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/vote2001/candidates/candidates/4/47701.stm |access-date=2026-04-21 |website=news.bbc.co.uk}}] At university, he was involved in student politics[{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2013-03-22 |title=Rodney Berman loses out in bid to become AM |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/rodney-berman-loses-out-bid-1909763 |access-date=2026-04-21 |website=Wales Online |language=en}}][{{Cite web |last=James |first=David |date=2008-04-08 |title=Berman: You can’t let criticism stop you doing the job |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/berman-you-cant-criticism-stop-2182058 |access-date=2026-04-21 |website=Wales Online |language=en}}]
==Political career==
Berman stood for election to [Parliament](/source/Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom) as Welsh Liberal Democrat candidate for [Rhondda](/source/Rhondda_(UK_Parliament_constituency)) and [Cardiff South and Penarth](/source/Cardiff_South_and_Penarth_(UK_Parliament_constituency)) 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](/source/Professor_Russell_Deacon).
In 2004 Berman became leader of a minority administration on [Cardiff Council](/source/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](/source/2008_Cardiff_Council_election) saw the Liberal Democrats increase their representation, winning new seats in the east ([Trowbridge](/source/Trowbridge%2C_Cardiff)), west ([Llandaff](/source/Llandaff)) and south of the city ([Butetown](/source/Butetown_(electoral_ward))). They were still in a minority on the council so they made a deal to run the Cardiff Council jointly with [Plaid Cymru](/source/Plaid_Cymru), under Berman's leadership.[{{cite news|title=Cardiff and Conwy coalition deals|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/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](/source/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](/source/Officer_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire) (OBE) in the [2013 New Year Honours](/source/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 }}]
Berman returned to local politics to fight the [2017 Cardiff Council election](/source/2017_Cardiff_Council_election) and succeeded in securing a seat on the council, representing the [Penylan](/source/Penylan) Ward.[{{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}}][{{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](/source/2021_Senedd_election), he was the Lib Dem candidate for [Cardiff Central](/source/Cardiff_Central_(Senedd_constituency)),[{{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](/source/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](/source/South_Wales_Central_(Senedd_electoral_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|access-date=19 July 2021|archive-date=13 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200913084607/https://www.cardiffld.org.uk/rodney_berman_chosen|url-status=dead}}] He stood for election in the [Cardiff East](/source/Cardiff_East_(UK_Parliament_constituency)) constituency for the [2024 UK general election](/source/2024_United_Kingdom_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}}] He stood in the [2026 Senedd election](/source/2026_Senedd_election) in the [Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf constituency](/source/Caerdydd_Ffynnon_Taf_(Senedd_constituency)) but was not elected.[{{Cite web |last=Mansfield |first=Mark |date=2025-04-05 |title=Welsh Lib Dems announce candidates for key Senedd seats in 2026 |url=https://nation.cymru/news/welsh-lib-dems-announce-candidates-for-key-senedd-seats-in-2026/ |access-date=2025-07-06 |website=Nation.Cymru |language=en-GB}}][{{cite news |last1=Ali |first1=Rahaf |last2=Mosalski |first2=Ruth |title=Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf election results in full |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/caerdydd-ffynnon-taf-election-results-33887381 |work=Wales Online |date=8 May 2026 |language=en}}]
Berman was campaign manager for former [Member of the Senedd](/source/Member_of_the_Senedd) and Minister [Baroness Jenny Randerson](/source/Jenny_Randerson%2C_Baroness_Randerson) (1948–2025) and saw her as a "terrific mentor" in his political career.[{{Cite web |date=2025-01-05 |title=Welsh Lib Dem Baroness Jenny Randerson dies aged 76 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c205v1n30vro |access-date=2026-04-22 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}]
==Personal life==
In August 2006, Berman entered into a [civil partnership](/source/civil_partnership) with his partner, former [ITV News](/source/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=2013-03-30|website=WalesOnline}}] He is [Jewish](/source/Jews).[{{Cite news |last=Waldram |first=Hannah |date=2010-11-10 |title=Councillor suspended following Nazi comments |url=https://www.theguardian.com/cardiff/2010/nov/10/cardiff-councillor-suspended-following-nazi-comments-ralph-cook-rodney-berman |access-date=2026-03-25 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}]
In addition to being a councillor, since 2013, Berman has been working as senior policy executive at the [British Medical Association](/source/British_Medical_Association), which involves "providing policy support and advice to doctors".