Kath Pinnock, Baroness Pinnock

The Right Honourable
The Baroness Pinnock
Official portrait, 2022
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
Incumbent
Assumed office
23 September 2014
Life Peerage
Leader of Kirklees Council
In office
2000–2006
Succeeded byRobert Light (Conservative)
Member of Kirklees Council
for Cleckheaton
Incumbent
Assumed office
1987
Personal details
Born
Kathryn Mary Pinnock

(1946-09-25) 25 September 1946 (age 78)
CitizenshipUnited Kingdom
Political partyLiberal Democrats
Alma materKeele University

Kathryn Mary Pinnock, Baroness Pinnock (born 25 September 1946) is a British Liberal Democrat politician, life peer, and former school teacher. Since 1987, she has been a member of Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council. She was leader of the council's Lib Dem group from 1991 to 2014, and leader of the council from 2000 to 2006. She was created a life peer in 2014 and now sits in the House of Lords.

Early life

Pinnock was born on 25 September 1946.[1] She attended the girls' grammar school, the City of Bath Girls' School (now the Hayesfield Girls' School).

She studied history and chemistry at Keele University, graduating with a bachelor's degree. She remained at Keele to complete a teaching diploma.[2]

Early career

Following university, Pinnock became a secondary school teacher. She taught history in schools in Birmingham and Special Needs Maths at Rastrick High School in West Yorkshire. She also served as Deputy Chief Examiner for A-Level History for a number of years.[2]

Political career

Local government

Since 1987, she has been a local councillor, representing Cleckheaton on the Kirklees Council.[3][4] She was leader of the Lib Dem group on the council between 1991 and 2014. She was leader of the council from 2000 to 2006, and was the first female to hold this post.[3]

House of Lords

In August 2014, it was announced that she was to be made a life peer.[5] She was created a life peer on 23 September 2014 taking the title Baroness Pinnock, of Cleckheaton in the County of West Yorkshire.[6] Since June 2015, she has been a member of the Home Affairs Sub-Committee of the European Union Committee.[7]

In 2015, Pinnock was appointed the Spokesperson for Children for the Lib Dems, and in October 2016 she was appointed their Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.[2]

Honours

In July 2015, Pinnock was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Huddersfield.[8]

References

  1. ^ "MyParliament - Biography for Baroness Pinnock". Archived from the original on 8 December 2015.
  2. ^ a b c "Kath Pinnock". People. Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  3. ^ a b Douglas, Joanne (29 May 2014). "New Kirklees Lib Dem leader Nicola Turner on her "tough act to follow" after Kath Pinnock steps down". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  4. ^ "Kath Pinnock gets House of Lords seat". Batley and Birstall News. 8 August 2014. Archived from the original on 9 August 2014. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  5. ^ "Karren Brady and Sir Stuart Rose among new life peers". BBC News. BBC. 8 August 2014. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  6. ^ "No. 61001". The London Gazette. 29 September 2014. p. 18838.
  7. ^ "Baroness Pinnock". Parliament.co.uk. House of Lords. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  8. ^ "Former local councillor leader receives honorary award". University of Huddersfield. 20 October 2015. Retrieved 28 November 2015.