Editing Sandra Gidley

{{Short description|British pharmacist and politician}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Sandra Gidley
| honorific-suffix = [[Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain|MRPharmS]]
| party = [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrat]]
| image = Sandra Gidley, September 2009 1 rotated and cropped.jpg
| caption = Gidley at a Health Hotel session during the 2009 Liberal Democrat Party Conference
| constituency_MP2 = [[Romsey (UK Parliament constituency)|Romsey]]
| term_start2  = 5 May 2000
| term_end2    = 12 April 2010
| parliament2  = 
| majority2    = 
| predecessor2 = [[Michael Colvin]]
| successor2   = ''constituency abolished''
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1957|3|26}}
| birth_place = [[Rossett]], Wales
| death_date  =
| death_place =
| nationality = British
| spouse      = Bill
| relations   =
| children    = 1 son, 1 daughter
| residence   = [[Romsey, Hampshire]], England
| alma_mater  = [[University of Bath]]
| occupation  = 
| profession  = Pharmacist
| religion =
| signature =
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
'''Sandra Julia Gidley''' [[Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain|MRPharmS]] (''née'' '''Rawson'''; born 26 March 1957) is a British [[pharmacist]] and politician who served as the [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrat]] [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Romsey (UK Parliament constituency)|Romsey]] in Hampshire from [[2000 Romsey by-election|2000]] to [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010]], when she lost her seat to Conservative candidate [[Caroline Nokes]].

==Biography==
Born Sandra Julia Rawson in Rosset, [[Denbighshire]] in Wales, she was educated at the [[Eggar's School|Eggar's Grammar School]] in [[Alton, Hampshire]]; the Afcent International School in [[Brunssum]], [[Netherlands]]; and the Windsor Girls' School in [[Hamm, North Rhine-Westphalia|Hamm]], North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. She finished her education at the [[University of Bath]], where she was awarded a BPharm Diploma in 1978.<ref>{{Who's Who | title=GIDLEY, Sandra Julia | id = U17077 | volume = 2023 | edition = online}}</ref> She became a [[Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain|MRPharmS]] in 1979.

In 1979 she joined Badham Chemists as a [[pharmacist]] in [[Cheltenham]], Gloucestershire, until she was appointed as a pharmacy manager with GK Chemists in [[Gloucester]] in 1980. She became a locum pharmacist in 1982 before joining [[Safeway (UK)|Safeway]] as a supermarket pharmacy manager in 1992, and joined [[Tesco]] in the same position in 1999 where she remained until her election to the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]].

On 17 July 2019, Gidley was announced as the first female President of the [[Royal Pharmaceutical Society]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rpharms.com/about-us/who-we-are/national-boards/english-national-pharmacy-board/sandra-gidley|title=Sandra Gidley|website=www.rpharms.com|access-date=2019-08-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190809140051/https://www.rpharms.com/about-us/who-we-are/national-boards/english-national-pharmacy-board/sandra-gidley|archive-date=9 August 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> She was followed by another woman, [[Claire Anderson (scientist)|Claire Anderson]], in 2021.<ref name="rpharms">{{Cite web|title=Claire Anderson|url=https://www.rpharms.com/about-us/who-we-are/national-boards/english-board/claire-anderson|access-date=2021-07-18|website=www.rpharms.com}}</ref>

==Parliamentary career==
She joined the Liberal Democrats in 1994, was elected as a councillor to the [[Test Valley Borough Council]] in 1995 and was, in 1997, the youngest ever female mayor of Romsey.<ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2163323.stm| title =Sandra Gidley| date =16 October 2002| publisher =BBC| accessdate =4 August 2014| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20060129014502/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2163323.stm| archive-date =29 January 2006| url-status =live}}</ref>

After Romsey's [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] MP [[Michael Colvin]] died in a fire at his home in [[Tangley]] on 24 February 2000,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/662767.stm |title=Police find remains at MP's house |date=1 March 2007 |publisher=BBC News Online |accessdate=25 September 2007}}</ref> Gidley was selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for the [[2000 Romsey by-election|resulting by-election]]. She won the by-election, on 4 May, with a majority of 3,311 votes<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/elect2000/article/0,,217939,00.html |title=Lib Dems hail byelection win as snub to Tory hard line |date=6 May 2000 |work=The Guardian |accessdate=25 September 2007 | location=London | first=Lucy | last=Ward}}</ref> and won in the [[2001 United Kingdom general election|2001]] and [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005 general elections]]. However, in 2005 her majority was reduced to only 125 votes, the smallest of any Lib Dem MP, by the Conservative candidate, [[Caroline Nokes]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/area/uk/ge05/i16.htm |title=UK General Election results May 2005 |work=Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources |accessdate=25 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010072810/http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/area/uk/ge05/i16.htm |archive-date=10 October 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> She was appointed as the party's spokeswoman on women's issues and older people from 2001. In January 2006, as Kennedy faced allegations of a drink problem, Gidley was one of 11 members of the front-bench team to write to Kennedy asking him to resign.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article785726.ece |title=Charles Kennedy defies growing revolt from his MPs |date=6 January 2006 |access-date=1 October 2007 |work=The Times |location=London |first1=Jenny |last1=Booth |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514000517/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article785726.ece |archive-date=14 May 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Gidley chaired her party's Gender Balance Task Force,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gbtf.org.uk/pages/history.html |title=History of the Campaign for Gender Balance |accessdate=25 September 2007 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071020213628/http://www.gbtf.org.uk/pages/history.html |archivedate=20 October 2007 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> an initiative to get more women into politics.

The Romsey constituency was abolished for the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 election]], and in the new [[Romsey and Southampton North (UK Parliament constituency)|Romsey and Southampton North]] constituency she was defeated by the Conservative candidate [[Caroline Nokes]], who took the new seat a majority of 4,165 votes following the expenses scandal, in which it emerged Gidley accepted a £18,700 'windfall' from her London landlord in return for an increase in her taxpayer funded rent.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/england/8666852.stm |title=Lib Dem's Sandra Gidley loses seat after 10 years |date=7 May 2010 |work=BBC News |access-date=7 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170818045719/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/england/8666852.stm |archive-date=18 August 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Criticism of parliamentary expenses==
Gidley was sometimes described as "Hampshire's most expensive MP" by her political opponents,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/archive/2009/04/03/News+%28news%29/4256825.Sandra_top_of_the_MPs____expenses_league |title=Archive &#124; Archive of stories uploaded to the Daily Echo website |publisher=Daily Echo |date=3 April 2009 |accessdate=3 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005055432/http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/archive/2009/04/03/News+(news)/4256825.Sandra_top_of_the_MPs____expenses_league/ |archive-date=5 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> claiming £160,000 in 2007/08, and £187,000 in another year, amidst concerns she was using tax payer's money to fund her political and re-election campaign.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/archive/2009/05/29/News+%28news%29/4403891.Row_over_MP_office_expenses/ |title=Archive &#124; Archive of stories uploaded to the Daily Echo website |publisher=Daily Echo |date=29 May 2009 |accessdate=3 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004212714/http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/archive/2009/05/29/News+%28news%29/4403891.Row_over_MP_office_expenses/ |archive-date=4 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> It emerged the tax payer was paying money to her party's constituency office, including paying the business rates, £60 for water, over £600 a year on telephones, and £960 on tea, coffee and cleaning.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mpsallowances.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/hocallowances/allowances-by-mp/sandra-gidley/Sandra_Gidley_0607_IEP.pdf |title=Incidental Expenses Provision/Staffing Allowance |publisher=Mpsallowances.parliament.uk |accessdate=3 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004213839/http://mpsallowances.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/hocallowances/allowances-by-mp/sandra-gidley/Sandra_Gidley_0607_IEP.pdf |archive-date=4 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://mpsallowances.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/hocallowances/allowances-by-mp/sandra-gidley/Sandra_Gidley_0708_IEP.pdf |title=Incidental Expenses Provision/Staffing Allowance |publisher=Mpsallowances.parliament.uk |accessdate=3 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004214223/http://mpsallowances.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/hocallowances/allowances-by-mp/sandra-gidley/Sandra_Gidley_0708_IEP.pdf |archive-date=4 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2011, her successor, Conservative MP Caroline Nokes, claimed £87,000 a year less in expenses than Gidley.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/9917340.MP_expenses_scandal_is_history_____watchdog/ |title=MP expenses scandal is history – watchdog (From Daily Echo) |publisher=Dailyecho.co.uk |date=7 September 2012 |accessdate=3 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004212722/http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/9917340.MP_expenses_scandal_is_history_____watchdog/ |archive-date=4 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> However in 2017–2018 Caroline Nokes was claiming £168,297.18 in expenses.<ref>{{cite web |title=Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority |url=http://www.theipsa.org.uk/mp-costs/interactive-map/ |website=Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority |accessdate=2 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190407072850/http://www.theipsa.org.uk/mp-costs/interactive-map/ |archive-date=7 April 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> 
Whilst an MP, Gidley was claiming £1,638 a month<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mpsallowances.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/hocallowances/allowances-by-mp/sandra-gidley/Sandra_Gidley_0910_PAAE.pdf |title=Member's Reimbursement Form |publisher=Mpsallowances.parliament.uk |accessdate=3 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004214122/http://mpsallowances.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/hocallowances/allowances-by-mp/sandra-gidley/Sandra_Gidley_0910_PAAE.pdf |archive-date=4 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> for a luxury flat with indoor swimming pool in London,<ref>{{cite web |author= |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5297606/MPs-expenses-Full-list-of-MPs-investigated-by-the-Telegraph.html |title=MPs' expenses: Full list of MPs investigated by the |publisher=Telegraph |date=8 May 2009 |accessdate=3 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170504015241/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5297606/MPs-expenses-Full-list-of-MPs-investigated-by-the-Telegraph.html |archive-date=4 May 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> as well as £420 a month for food, and over £1,000 for Council Tax,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mpsallowances.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/hocallowances/allowances-by-mp/sandra-gidley/Sandra_Gidley_0809_ACA.pdf |title=Member's claim form |publisher=Mpsallowances.parliament.uk |accessdate=3 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004215140/http://mpsallowances.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/hocallowances/allowances-by-mp/sandra-gidley/Sandra_Gidley_0809_ACA.pdf |archive-date=4 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/4787743.Romsey_MP_only_claimed_rent_and_bills_on_expenses/ |title=Romsey MP only claimed rent and bills on expenses (From Daily Echo) |publisher=Dailyecho.co.uk |date=10 December 2009 |accessdate=3 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004212559/http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/4787743.Romsey_MP_only_claimed_rent_and_bills_on_expenses/ |archive-date=4 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> and was criticised when it emerged she and three other Lib Dem MPs, accepted a £18,700 cash windfall from the landlord of the Dolphin Square flat, in return for agreeing to an increase in their rent, which was funded by the taxpayer. She was found to have "accepted one-off cash payment from the owners of an apartment block close to Parliament in return for agreeing to pay higher rent levels". A Parliamentary Committee on Standards and Privileges was critical of Gidley's 'serious misjudgment' in accepting the windfall, said she had broken the rules, and she was forced to apologise for it.<ref>{{cite web |last=Swaine |first=Jon |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/liberal-democrat-mps-expenses/7480342/MPs-expenses-Lib-Dem-MPs-broke-rules-by-taking-landlord-payments.html |title=MPs' expenses: Lib Dem MPs broke rules by taking landlord payments |publisher=Telegraph |date=19 March 2010 |accessdate=3 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131025121649/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/liberal-democrat-mps-expenses/7480342/MPs-expenses-Lib-Dem-MPs-broke-rules-by-taking-landlord-payments.html |archive-date=25 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/5072380.MP_ordered_to_apologise_to_Commons/ |title=MP ordered to apologise to Commons (From Daily Echo) |publisher=Dailyecho.co.uk |date=19 March 2010 |accessdate=3 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140813205659/http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/5072380.MP_ordered_to_apologise_to_Commons/ |archive-date=13 August 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8576304.stm |title=Lib Dem MPs criticised after second home rent probe |work=BBC News |date=19 March 2010 |accessdate=3 October 2013}}</ref>

==Return to politics==
Gidley stood unsuccessfully in the [[2013 Hampshire County Council election]] against incumbent Conservative Councillor [[Roy Perry]], former [[Member of the European Parliament]] and also the father of [[Caroline Nokes]], the Conservative candidate who defeated her in 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/10397363.UKIP_make_gains_in_Hampshire_County_Council_elections___live_coverage/= |title=UKIP make gains in Hampshire County Council elections - live coverage (From Daily Echo) |website=www.dailyecho.co.uk |access-date=3 February 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150223030206/http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/10397363.UKIP_make_gains_in_Hampshire_County_Council_elections___live_coverage/= |archive-date=23 February 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In the [[2019 United Kingdom local elections|2019 Local Elections]], Gidley returned to [[Test Valley Borough Council]] as the Councillor for Romsey Abbey ward defeating the Conservative Party incumbent.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.andoveradvertiser.co.uk/news/17615234.test-valley-borough-council-election-2019-as-it-happened/|title=Test Valley Borough Council election 2019: As it happened|website=Andover Advertiser|language=en|access-date=2019-08-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190809141825/https://www.andoveradvertiser.co.uk/news/17615234.test-valley-borough-council-election-2019-as-it-happened/|archive-date=9 August 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Lord Rennard==
Gidley was her Party's Front Bench Spokesperson on Women's issues, and Chair of the Lib Dems 'Gender Balance Taskforce'<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genderbalance.org.uk/en/page/history |title=History (Campaign For Gender Balance) |publisher=Genderbalance.org.uk |accessdate=3 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004213606/http://genderbalance.org.uk/en/page/history |archivedate=4 October 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> at the time it emerged the Party's Chief Executive, [[Lord Rennard]], was accused of a series of sexual assaults against women.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01qw93x/The_World_Tonight_25_02_2013/ |title=BBC iPlayer – The World Tonight: 25/02/2013 |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=25 February 2013 |accessdate=3 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130301201711/http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01qw93x/The_World_Tonight_25_02_2013/ |archive-date=1 March 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> She appeared on the BBC and admitted that the Lib Dems had 'screwed up'.<ref name="autogenerated1"/> However, several days later she claimed she had informed party leader [[Nick Clegg]] of the concerns over Rennard's conduct. Neither Nick Clegg or Sandra Gidley knew of any specific details as stated by Nick Clegg's spokesman "Sandra Gidley once raised general concerns with Nick Clegg about Lord Rennard's conduct. She did not know of or raise specific allegations.".<ref>{{cite news |author=Andrew Woodcock |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/mp-sandra-gidley-told-nick-clegg-of-rennard-concerns-after-he-became-leader-8512374.html |title=MP Sandra Gidley 'told Nick Clegg of Rennard concerns' after he became leader – UK Politics – UK |work=The Independent |date=27 February 2013 |accessdate=3 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004221039/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/mp-sandra-gidley-told-nick-clegg-of-rennard-concerns-after-he-became-leader-8512374.html |archive-date=4 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Personal life==
Gidley and her husband Bill, an electronics engineer, married in 1979 and have lived in Romsey since 1986. They have a daughter, Gemma, and a son, Nick, who both attended local state schools. Gidley was for many years a voluntary antenatal teacher with the [[National Childbirth Trust]] and has been involved with many charitable organisations.

She enjoys badminton, and lists reading, cookery and the theatre amongst her hobbies, and is a supporter of [[Macmillan Cancer Relief]].

==See also==
* [[Liberal Democrat Frontbench Team]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Sandra Gidley}}
* [http://www.sandragidley.org Sandra Gidley MP] official site
* [http://www.romseyredhead.blogspot.com official blog]
* [https://twitter.com/SandraGidley Sandra Gidley MP] Sandra Gidley on Twitter
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110604072412/http://www.libdems.org.uk/people/sandra-gidley Sandra Gidley MP] profile at the site of Liberal Democrats
*{{UK MP links | hansard = ms-sandra-gidley | guardian = 1920/sandra-gidley | publicwhip = Sandra_Gidley | theywork = sandra_gidley | record = Sandra-Gidley/Romsey/1092 | journalisted= }}
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20070930222208/http://www.epolitix.com/EN/MPWebsites/Sandra+Gidley/ Website]}} at ePolitix.com
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/mpdb/html/485.stm Profile: Sandra Gidley] at ''[[BBC News]]'', 10 February 2005
* {{IMDb name|id=2228161|name=Sandra Gidley}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-par|uk}}
{{s-bef | before = [[Michael Colvin]] }}
{{s-ttl
  | title  = Member of Parliament for [[Romsey (UK Parliament constituency)|Romsey]]
  | years  = [[2000 Romsey by-election|2000]]–[[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010]]
}}
{{s-non | reason = Constituency abolished<br /><small>(see [[Romsey and Southampton North (UK Parliament constituency)|Romsey & Southampton North]])</small>}}
{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gidley, Sandra}}
[[Category:1957 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Bath]]
[[Category:British bloggers]]
[[Category:Women mayors of places in England]]
[[Category:Liberal Democrats (UK) MPs for English constituencies]]
[[Category:Mayors of places in Hampshire]]
[[Category:20th-century mayors of places in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:People from Romsey]]
[[Category:People from Wrexham County Borough]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1997–2001]]
[[Category:UK MPs 2001–2005]]
[[Category:UK MPs 2005–2010]]
[[Category:Councillors in Hampshire]]
[[Category:Female members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies]]
[[Category:British women bloggers]]
[[Category:20th-century British women politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century British women politicians]]
[[Category:Liberal Democrats (UK) councillors]]
[[Category:20th-century English women]]
[[Category:20th-century English people]]
[[Category:21st-century English women]]
[[Category:21st-century English people]]
[[Category:Women councillors in England]]