November 11, 2024
By: Harry Mottram: In July Wera Hobhouse was re-elected as the Member of Parliament for the city representing the Liberal Democratic Party.
She joins a long line of MPs dating back to 1295 when King Edward I established something resembling an assembly in order to raise tax. Its powers were limited but it remained in one form or another up to the present day.
It wasn’t until 1832 when an act of parliament reformed the voting system and representation, although universal suffrage had to wait until after the First World War when all women eventually got the vote.
Up until 1918 the city had two MPs known as first and second members. Charles Foxcroft for the Unionist Party was the first single member after he was voted un-opposed in a by-election after the previous MP Lord Alexander Thynne was killed in the war.
The Liberals succeeded him in 1923 then Rank Raffety won in the 1923 election – and he was to be the only Liberal to represent the city until Don Foster triumphed in the 1992 election. Ben Howlett for the Conservatives succeeded him in the 2015 election with Wera Hobhouse for the Lib Dems taking the laurels since 2017.
The German born MP studied history and fine art at university in Paris and Berlin before moving to Liverpool and later Rochdale with her husband William with whom she married in 1989. After a career as a Rochdale councillor, she moved to Bath in 2014 and in 2015 unsuccessfully contested the former constituency of Bath and North East Somerset. In 2017, she was selected as the Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for the constituency of Bath where she remains as the MP after the July 2024 election.
I caught up with her and asked a few questions to get a wider view of her opinions.
In your heart of hearts did you expect to be re-elected as Bath’s MP in July?
I was really positive going into the election that it would have a successful outcome, and I am very grateful for everyone who came out to vote for me or volunteer their time campaigning. I know many people voted with their hearts rather than tactically in Bath, so to still be re-elected on that basis – because Bath residents truly believe in me to deliver for them – is a wonderful privilege.
As a sometime artist do you have a particular favourite painter or illustrator or a school of art that you most admire?
My favourite artist is Matisse – I find his use of colour truly revolutionary.
Is it time for Bath to have a tram system with a link to Bristol?
When the trains are running and arrive on time, the service between Bath and Bristol is excellent. Although increasing public transportation within Bath, that links to Bristol, is always welcome to encourage cars off of the roads, there are more urgent gaps in our transport networks that we must address first.
Is it time for British and NATO troops to help Ukraine to defeat the Russian invasion of that nation in order to gain a quick victory and end Putin’s rule? [The main image shows NATO British troops in Estonia on exercise.]
I’m so proud of how our nation has stood firm and unwavering in its support of Ukraine and we should continue our focus on peaceful means of cooperation.
As US support wavers, we should be redoubling our efforts to support Ukraine – leading with Europe on seizing Russian assets and repurposing them for Ukraine. If the US cannot, Europe must.
You have spoken about the lack of female authors that are studied at GCSE level. Which female authors do you think should be studied?
There are so many fantastic contemporary female authors that young people can study today. A few of my favourites are Zadie Smith, Bernardine Evaristo and Arundhati Roy. Although these authors wrestle with some really complex issues, contemporary literature can often be much more accessible for young readers and a great place to start when first getting into reading.
Many people feel that X – formerly Twitter – has become a mouthpiece for Elon Musk and a platform for extreme views which challenge the laws of libel. Is it time social media platforms were subject to the same rules that the press have to adhere to?
There is an extremely concerning phenomenon occurring on X at the moment in which content that promotes eating disorders is being allowed to proliferate on the platform. Other platforms, such as Instagram and TikTok, have also faced criticism for their impact on children’s health. I firmly believe that social media platforms should be held accountable for allowing harmful content to be promoted on their platforms, especially when it puts lives at risk.
Do you have a favourite play you have seen at Theatre Royal Bath, The Rondo or The Mission Theatre and why?
One of my favourite things about Bath is the wide range of entertainment that we have on offer at our spectacular theatres. I recently celebrated the Next Stage Theatre Company’s 30th anniversary by watching their brilliant production of The Girl Next Door at The Mission Theatre. It was a truly magical performance.
I also loved watching Theatre Royal Bath’s production of Four Quartets by T.S. Eliot which starred Ralph Fiennes. It’s fantastic that we can enjoy such a range of theatre in Bath, from amateur performers to Broadway stars.
If you were not the MP for Bath what job would you do in an ideal world?
Before I became an MP, I was an artist. It would be such a pleasure to have the time to dedicate myself to painting once again.
Team Bath Netball lost out in the new professional league due to having too small a venue – is it time Bath had a huge indoor arena for staging professional sports like Netball?
Team Bath has produced some of the most prestigious athletes – we certainly saw their talent win Team GB many medals in this summer’s Olympic and Paralympic Games. I am certain Team Bath and the University of Bath are committed to exploring all avenues to best support their brilliant athletes; any plans to upgrade their facilities will be up to them to decide.
Wera Hobouses can be contacted through her office at www.werahobhouse.co.uk
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