Cllr
Robert Gerald van Cortlandt Vernon-Jackson
CBE
Gerald Vernon-Jackson (2019)
Leader of Portsmouth City Council
In office
15 May 2018 – 16 May 2023
Preceded byDonna Jones (Con)
Succeeded bySteve Pitt (Lib Dem)
In office
22 June 2004 – 3 June 2014
Preceded byPhil Shaddock (Lib Dem)
Succeeded byDonna Jones (Con)
Chair of the English Liberal Democrats
In office
20 February 2020 – December 2020
Preceded byTahir Maher
Succeeded byAlison Rouse
Member of Portsmouth City Council for Milton Ward
Assumed office
5 May 2003
Preceded byNigel Sizer (Lib Dem)
Personal details
NationalityBritish
Alma materUniversity of Southampton, University of Liverpool
OccupationPolitician
AwardsCommander of the British Empire

Gerald Vernon-Jackson CBE (born 10 January 1962[1]) is a Liberal Democrat politician in Portsmouth, England. He was the leader of Portsmouth City Council between 2018 and 2023,[2][3] and 2004–2014, and councillor for Milton Ward since 2003.[4]

Personal life

Vernon-Jackson was born in Hampshire, England. He is the son of Jean Vernon-Jackson MBE, former Chairman of Hampshire County Council and New Forest District Council,[5] and a graduate of the University of Liverpool and University of Southampton with a bachelor's degree in History and a Master's in Social Care, respectively.

Political career

Vernon-Jackson was an elected member of the Newbury Council from 1995 to 2003, where he served as Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats group. During this period, he served as Head of Office for Newbury MP David Rendel, and the Deputy Director of Campaigns of the Liberal Democrats. He would also contest the European Parliament Election, 1999 as 8th member of the Liberal Democrats list for the South East England constituency, ahead of future MEP Catherine Bearder. In 2003 he was elected to Milton Ward and assumed the Deputy Leadership of the Portsmouth Liberal Democrats Group.[6] In 2004 he became Leader of the Council, a position he held until the 2014 council election.[7][8][9] During this period, the Liberal Democrat administration was accused of covering up an independent report into allegations of sexual harassment made against then-MP Mike Hancock,[10] Vernon-Jackson himself having dismissed the accusations as being motivated by possible financial gain.[11]

Following a spell in opposition, after the 2018 council election, Vernon-Jackson reassumed Leadership of the Council in a minority administration with the support of the Labour Party council group.[12][13] Since reassuming leadership, Vernon-Jackon's second administration caused controversy due to its decision to pursue the closure of Victory Energy,[14][15][16] pursued the development of Tipner West,[17] sought and received approval for the development of the Horsea Island Country Park[18] and took charge of Council preparations for Brexit. In a letter to Michael Gove, minister in charge of no-deal Brexit planning, Vernon-Jackson accused the Government of underestimating the potential strife caused by a no-deal Brexit to Portsmouth docks.[19][20]

During his time in opposition, Vernon-Jackson ran for the Portsmouth South constituency, first in 2015 to succeed Mike Hancock, and then again in 2017 in an attempt to retake the constituency for the Liberal Democrats, however was defeated in both attempts by Flick Drummond and Stephen Morgan, respectively. He stood again in Portsmouth South at the 2019 election,[21] initially placed first in constituency polling against Labour and the Conservative candidates in a poll commissioned by the Liberal Democrats,[22][23] however successive polling commissioned by the Liberal Democrats for the constituency would see Vernon-Jackson slip into third place, where he would ultimately poll on election day. In 2016, Vernon-Jackson was awarded a CBE for his services to local government.[24]

Following the 2023 local elections, Vernon-Jackson stepped down as Leader of the Portsmouth City Council. He was succeeded by Steve Pitt, his Ward Colleague for Milton.[25]

From 2012 to 2017, Vernon-Jackson served as Vice Chair & Lib Dem Group Leader on the Local Government Association. Since January 2020, Vernon-Jackson has been a member of the Liberal Democrats Federal Board, and he was Chair of the English Liberal Democrats from February 2020 to December 2020.[26][27]

References

  1. ^ "UK Polling Report". ukpollingreport.co.uk. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  2. ^ "Lib Dems win council leadership". BBC News. 15 May 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  3. ^ "Portsmouth council leader Gerald Vernon-Jackson steps down". 11 May 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  4. ^ "Councillor details - Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson CBE". Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  5. ^ "Former county councillor dies after lifetime of public service". Daily Echo. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  6. ^ Smulian, Mark (August 2012). "Gerald Vernon-Jackson" (PDF). C'llr. Local Government Information Unit. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  7. ^ "Council minutes, 22 June 2004" (PDF). Portsmouth City Council. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  8. ^ "Conservatives chosen to run Portsmouth City Council". BBC News. 4 June 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  9. ^ "Council minutes, 3 June 2014" (PDF). Portsmouth City Council. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  10. ^ "MP Mike Hancock 'made unwelcome sexual approaches', lawyer concludes". Guardian. 23 December 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  11. ^ "Mike Hancock supporter during cover up wants to be Portsmouth MP". Political Scrapbook. Archived from the original on 5 December 2019. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  12. ^ "Gerald Vernon-Jackson replaces Donna Jones as Portsmouth City Council leader". The News (Portsmouth). 15 May 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  13. ^ "Council minutes, 15 May 2018" (PDF). Portsmouth City Council. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  14. ^ "Portsmouth council drops own Victory Energy firm". BBC News. 10 August 2018. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  15. ^ "Portsmouth councillors call for Victory Energy rethink". BBC News. 13 February 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  16. ^ "Portsmouth City Council loses more than £3m as it fails to find buyer for Victory Energy". The News (Portsmouth). 29 August 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  17. ^ "Gensler reveals masterplan for 4,000 homes on Portsmouth 'super-peninsula'". Architects' Journal. 20 September 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  18. ^ "Horsea Island Country Park". Portsmouth.gov. Archived from the original on 2 January 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  19. ^ "Government 'must not crucify Portsmouth' over Brexit". BBC News. 21 August 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  20. ^ "Portsmouth council leader warns no-deal Brexit could divert trading standards investigators away from dealing with criminals - and could cost authority £300,000 extra a year". The News (Portsmouth). 9 October 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  21. ^ "Mental health therapist to stand as Lib Dem parliamentary candidate in Portsmouth". www.portsmouth.co.uk. 6 August 2019.
  22. ^ "Election polling puts Lib Dems beating Labour MP Stephen Morgan in Portsmouth South". www.portsmouth.co.uk. 4 November 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  23. ^ "2019". Survation. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  24. ^ "Former Portsmouth leader's pride as he picks up CBE honour at Windsor Castle". The News (Portsmouth). 8 October 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
  25. ^ "Steve Pitt elected as New Portsmouth City Council leader". The News (Portsmouth). 17 May 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  26. ^ "Gerald Vernon-Jackson elected new chair of the English Liberal Democrats". Mark Pack. 20 February 2020.
  27. ^ "When Labour and Lib Dems co-operated to beat the Conservatives: LDN #144". Mark Pack. 21 December 2020.
Political offices Preceded byDonna Jones Leader of Portsmouth City Council 2018–2023 Succeeded bySteve Pitt Preceded byPhil Shaddock Leader of Portsmouth City Council 2004–2014 Succeeded byDonna Jones
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