From 1999 to 2004, Brinton chaired the Cambridgeshire Learning and Skills Council.[13] She contested the Watford constituency at the 2005 general election, coming second to incumbent Labour MP Claire Ward. She stood at Watford at the next election in 2010, this time coming second behind Conservative candidate Richard Harrington and reducing Ward to a third-place finish. She is a non-executive director of the Ufi Charitable Trust, a charity giving grants in the vocational educational technology sector.[14]
Brinton is a member of the Liberal Democrat Federal Policy Committee and Vice Chair of the Federal Conference Committee.[15] She also chairs the Liberal Democrat Diversity Engagement Group, with a particular interest in increasing the number of women, black, Asian, and minority ethnic MPs.[16] Baroness Brinton was a member of the All Party Stalking Inquiry of 2011.[17]
In 2014, Brinton was elected as the president of the Liberal Democrats, defeating Daisy Cooper and Liz Lynne, and took up her position on 1 January 2015.[18]
Personal life
Brinton has rheumatoid arthritis and so usually uses a wheelchair. She met her husband Tim when she worked at the BBC. They live together with their family in Watford.[7]
Honours
In 2003, Brinton was awarded an honorary PhD for her contribution to education, skills and learning by Anglia Ruskin University.[19] In November 2013, she was made a Fellow of Birkbeck, University of London.[20] She is Patron of Christian Blind Mission UK, Trustee of the United Kingdom Committee of UNICEF, a Trustee of the Ufi Charitable Trust, and a Director of the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Ltd.[21]
Coat of arms of Sal Brinton
Escutcheon
Per pale Argent and Gules a lion salient double queued between three annulets counterchanged.
Supporters
Dexter a British WW1 fighter pilot vested Proper; sinister an archer bearded Proper vested Vert collared Argent cuffed and belted Or the crossbelt Sable buckled Argent booted and holding in the sinister hand a longbow Proper wearing a hat Vert attached thereto two plumes Argent.
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