Mike German, Baron German

Michael James "Mike" German, Baron German, OBE (born 8 May 1945) is a British politician, serving currently as a member of the House of Lords and formerly as a member of the National Assembly for Wales for the South Wales East region. He was leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats from 2007 to 2008. In 1996, he was awarded an OBE for his public and political service.

The Right Honourable

The Lord German

OBE
Deputy First Minister for Wales
In office
13 June 2002 – 8 May 2003
First MinisterRhodri Morgan
Preceded byJenny Randerson (Acting)
Succeeded byIeuan Wyn Jones (2007)
In office
16 October 2000 – 6 July 2001
First MinisterRhodri Morgan
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byJenny Randerson (Acting)
Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats
In office
13 October 2007 – 8 December 2008
Preceded byLembit Opik
Succeeded byKirsty Williams
Member of the Welsh Assembly
for South Wales East
In office
6 May 1999 – 30 June 2010
Preceded byNew Assembly
Succeeded byVeronica German
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
Assumed office
29 June 2010
Life Peerage
Personal details
Born (1945-05-08) 8 May 1945
Cardiff, Wales
Political partyLiberal Democrats
Spouse(s)(1) Georgette German[1]
(2) Veronica German
Alma materOpen University

Biography

German was educated at the Open University and St Mary's College. In his early life he was a member of 28th Cardiff Sea Scout Group.

He trained and worked as a music teacher before becoming Head of the European Unit at the Welsh Joint Education Committee. Has also been a school governor.

Political career

His political career spans over three decades. He was elected as councillor on Cardiff City Council (Cathays ward) in 1983, together with his wife, Georgette German (Plasnewydd).[1] He was Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats on the City Council between 1983–1996 and joint leader of the Council from 1987 to 1991; he was elected to the National Assembly for Wales in 1999 and re-elected in 2003 and 2007.

In the 1996 New Year's Honours he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.[2]

He contested Cardiff North in October 1974 and 1979 for the Liberals, before fighting Cardiff Central in 1983 and 1987 for the SDP–Liberal Alliance, but was unsuccessful on each occasion.

Under a Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition he became Deputy First Minister 2000-01 (and Economic Development Secretary)[3] and again in 2002-03 (and Minister for Rural Affairs and Wales Abroad). He stepped down from the role of Deputy First Minister between the two dates to answer allegations made about his role at the Welsh examination board, the WJEC. During this period he was temporarily replaced by Jenny Randerson as Acting Deputy First Minister.

In November 2007, Mike German became leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, after Lembit Opik stood down to ensure that the leadership of the party was in the National Assembly and not Westminster. He was succeeded in 2008 by Kirsty Williams.

German's political interests include skills development in small and large companies in Wales, constitutional affairs, local government, economy and regeneration.

In May 2010, German was named to the House of Lords as a 'working peer' in the Dissolution Honours list.[4] He was succeeded to the Assembly in June 2010 by his wife, Veronica, a Torfaen councillor, as she was the next candidate on the regional party list in 2007.[5][6] German took his seat as Baron German, of Llanfrechfa in the County Borough of Torfaen.[7]

gollark: The laws of most countries are complicated enough now that nobody can actually know and understand all of them, or even the ones which directly affect them. Also, I'm responding kind of slowly because my internet service is bad right now and randomly dropping out every few minutes.
gollark: (then, not than)
gollark: It would probably be best to make a government which is actually competent, *somehow*, then have it do more things.
gollark: Look at the whole mess with COVID-19 testing in the US.
gollark: Because often the government is *awful* at its job.

References
  1. Michael Thomas (6 May 1983). "Cardiff could go 'private'". South Wales Echo. p. 6.
  2. "No. 54255". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1995. p. 11.
  3. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/969584.stm
  4. "Dissolution list". BBC News. 28 May 2010. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
  5. "Mike German made working peer in House of Lords". BBC Wales. 28 May 2010. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
  6. "Ex-Gwent AM becomes a lord". South Wales Argus. 30 June 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2010.
  7. "No. 59474". The London Gazette. 29 June 2010. p. 12259.

Offices held
Senedd Cymru
Preceded by
(new post)		 Assembly Member for South Wales East
1999 – 2010		 Succeeded by
Veronica German
Political offices
Preceded by
(new post)		 Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the National Assembly
1999 – 2008		 Succeeded by
Kirsty Williams
Preceded by
Lembit Opik		 Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats
2007 – 2008		 Succeeded by
Kirsty Williams
Preceded by
(new post)		 Deputy First Minister for Wales
2000 – 2001		 Succeeded by
Jenny Randerson (Acting)
Preceded by
Rhodri Morgan		 Minister for Economic Development
2000 – 2001		 Succeeded by
Rhodri Morgan
Preceded by
Jenny Randerson (Acting)		 Deputy First Minister for Wales
2002 – 2003		 Succeeded by
Office Vacant (2003–2007)
Ieuan Wyn Jones (2007–2011)
Preceded by
(new post)		 Minister for Rural Affairs and Wales Abroad
2002 – 2003		 Succeeded by
(post abolished)
Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom
Preceded by
The Lord Gardiner of Kimble		 Gentlemen
Baron German 		Followed by
The Lord Hutton of Furness
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