Video addresses
We were delighted to have both Norman Baker MP and Lynne Featherstone MP provide video addresses for the conference.
Norman Baker MP
As Minister of State for Crime Prevention at the Home Office, Norman Baker MP is in charge of government policy on all crime, including domestic violence, forced marriage, honour-based killing and FGM. As Crime Prevention Minister, Norman has launched a nationwide campaign on behalf of
the government to raise awareness of FGM. Norma
n was educated at The Royal Liberty School in Gidea Park and studied at Royal
Holloway College, University of London. His political career includes:
• Member of Parliament for Lewes, 1997 to present
• Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment and Transport, 2002 to 2005
• Shadow Environment and Rural Affairs Secretary, 2005 to 2006
• Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, 2007
• Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, 2007 to 2010
• Parliamentary Under Secretary for Transport, 2010 to 2013
• Minister of State for Crime Prevention, 2013 to present.
Lynne Featherstone
Lynne served on the London Assembly 2000-5, before stepping down after being elected as MP for Hornsey and Wood Green. During her time on the GLA, she chaired the Transport Committee and also served on the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA). Lynne served as number two in the Liberal Democrat Home Affairs team in Parliament and the party’s London spokesperson. She was promoted to the party’s Shadow Cabinet as International Development spokesperson in December 2006 and, in December 2007, after Nick Clegg’s election as party leader, switched to the role of Youth and Equalities Spokesperson in
the Shadow Cabinet. Lynne also became a Home Office minister in May 2010, and was appointed Minister in the Department for International Development in September 2012. As a minister for International Development, Lynne has announced a £35million UK Government programme towards the aim of ending FGM. The new programme, which is expected to reduce FGM by 30% in at least 10 priority countries in the next 5 years, will:
• support work to end FGM in at least fifteen countries by working directly within local communities
• work with governments and traditional leaders to back laws to end FGM
• fund research into the most cost-effective approaches to ending FGM, to make sure our work has the maximum impact
• support diaspora communities in the UK to help
change practices in their countries of origin.