Monica Harding
Monica Harding | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Member of Parliament for Esher and Walton | |
| Assumed office 4 July 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Dominic Raab |
| Majority | 12,003 (22.3%) |
| Liberal Democrat portfolios | |
| 2024–present | International Development |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Liberal Democrats |
Monica Bernadette Etheldreda Harding[1] is a British Liberal Democrat politician who has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Esher and Walton since 2024. Before she entered politics, Harding was a management consultant, and director and CEO of organisations in Europe and Asia.
Career
[edit]Before entering politics, Harding was a director, chief executive officer and management consultant, working in organisations in Europe and Asia. She was director of communications at the British Council and president and CEO of Refugees International Japan.[2]
Harding contested the 2019 general election in the constituency of Esher and Walton, finishing in second place and reducing the majority of the incumbent Conservative MP Dominic Raab, then foreign secretary and later deputy prime minister, from 23,298 to 2,743.[3][4]
In the 2024 general election, Harding was elected as MP for Esher and Walton with 52.6 per cent of the vote and a majority of 12,003. Voter turnout was 72.8%.[5] She became the constituency's first female MP, and the first not to be elected from the Conservative Party in more than a century.[6]
On 18 September, Harding was appointed by Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey as the party spokesperson for International Development as part of his Frontbench Team.[7]
Personal life
[edit]Harding had lived in Thames Ditton for 17 years as of 2024[update]. She has four children.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ "No. 64465". The London Gazette. 22 July 2024. p. 14085.
- ^ a b "Monica Harding". Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ Payne, Sebastian (22 June 2022). "Can the Conservatives keep the 'blue wall' from crumbling?". Financial Times. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ Savage, Michael (30 November 2019). "Dominic Raab in danger of losing seat to Lib Dems, poll suggests". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ "Esher and Walton | General Election 2024". Sky News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ Caulfield, Chris (5 July 2024). "General Election 2024: Liberal Democrat becomes first non-Conservative to represent Esher and Walton in over a century". Surrey World. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ Self, Josh (18 September 2024). "Ed Davey unveils new Liberal Democrat frontbench". Politics.co.uk. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
External links
[edit]
- Official website
- Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom
- Contributions in Parliament at Hansard
- Voting record at Public Whip
- Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou
   | This article about a member of Parliament representing an English constituency is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- Living people
- 20th-century English women
- 21st-century English women
- 21st-century British women politicians
- British chief executives
- British women chief executives
- British management consultants
- Female members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies
- Liberal Democrats (UK) MPs for English constituencies
- Politicians from Surrey
- UK MPs 2024–present
- People from Thames Ditton
- UK MP for England stubs