Richard Newby

Richard Newby (Lord Newby) is Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Treasury Parliamentary Party Committee.

Early life

Newby was born in Rothwell, West Yorkshire and attended Rothwell Grammar School before studying Politics, Philosophy and Economics at St Catherine's College Oxford.

Political career

Newby grew up in a Labour stronghold and was a member of the Labour Party at university and in several London boroughs. During the 1975 European referendum, he was General Secretary of Young European Left, the pro-European youth wing of the Labour Party.

He worked for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for its duration and was its chief executive from 1983-88. He worked on all subsequent Lib Dem General Election campaigns, as press officer to Paddy Ashdown (1992), Deputy Campaign Chairman (1997) and subsequently as a member of the Campaigns and Communications Committee. He was Charles Kennedy's Chief of Staff during his period as Leader.

Background

Outside politics Newby was 'a tax man' at HM Customs and Excise from 1974 until 1981. He corporate affairs director of a property company (Rosehaugh 1988-92) and a PR/public affairs adviser (1992-2001).

Affiliations

He is Chair of Live Consulting, a corporate responsibility consultancy and Chair of sport for Life International, which manages education programmes linked to major sports stadiums globally, including in Trinidad, Barbados and Pakistan. Also Chair of Sport at The Prince's Trust and of International Development through Sport (IDS UK).