Charles Adrian MacFie Maynard (born February 1971) is a British politician who has been
Member of Parliament (MP) for
Witney since 2024. A member of the
Liberal Democrats, he gained the seat from
Robert Courts, a member of the
Conservative Party. Maynard has been a member of
West Oxfordshire District Council since 2022.
Early life and education
Maynard studied geography at
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church (, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædes'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by Henry V ...
, from 1990 to 1993.
Career before Parliament
Maynard co-founded BDA Partners, an international investment advice company, in 1996.
He chaired the Witney Oxford Transport Group, which advocates for a railway linking
Carterton,
Witney,
Eynsham and
Oxford
Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town.
The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...
, from October 2020 to November 2023.
In the
2022 council election, Maynard was elected as a member of
West Oxfordshire District Council for the ward of
Standlake,
Aston and
Stanton Harcourt. He served as the District Council's Executive Member for Planning and Sustainable Development from November 2023 until standing down in May 2024 to become a Parliamentary candidate for Witney.
Parliamentary career
Maynard was elected as
Member of Parliament for
Witney in the
2024 general election. He received 41.2 per cent of the vote and a majority of 4,339 over the incumbent
Conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
MP
Robert Courts, then
Solicitor General for England and Wales, who had represented the seat since 2016. Maynard became the first non-Conservative MP for Witney since 1922.
On 18 February 2025, Maynard participated on behalf of
Thames Water customers at a
high court hearing, arguing against the approval for an emergency debt package worth up to £3bn. When the judge ruled in favour of Thames Water, Maynard also led an appeal against the decision, and appeared at the
Court of Appeal
An appellate court, commonly called a court of appeal(s), appeal court, court of second instance or second instance court, is any court of law that is empowered to Hearing (law), hear a Legal case, case upon appeal from a trial court or other ...
hearing on 11 March 2025, acting on behalf of over 25 MPs, 34 charities and several individual Thames Water customers to argue the judge had been wrong to sanction the bail-out.
Personal life
Maynard and his wife Sophie have hosted refugees from Ukraine and Syria at their home near
Witney.
References
External links
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Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
20th-century English businesspeople
21st-century English businesspeople
Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford
Councillors in Oxfordshire
Liberal Democrats (UK) councillors
Liberal Democrats (UK) MPs for English constituencies
UK councillors 2022–2026
UK MPs 2024–present
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