Roger Hugh Williams,

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(born 22 January 1948) is a Welsh Liberal Democrat politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Brecon and Radnorshire from 2001 to

2015 2015 was designated by the United Nations as: * International Year of Light * International Year of Soil __TOC__ Events January * January 1 – Lithuania officially adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the litas, and becomes ...

Early life

Born in the town of

Crickhowell Crickhowell (; , non-standard spelling ') is a town and community (Wales), community in southeastern Powys, Wales, near Abergavenny, and is in the historic counties of Wales, historic county of Brecknockshire. Location The town lies on th ...

, Williams studied at

Christ College, Brecon Christ College, Brecon, is a co-educational, boarding and day independent school, located in the cathedral and market town of Brecon in mid-Wales. It currently caters for pupils aged 4–18 years. History Christ College was founded by Roya ...

, and

Selwyn College, Cambridge Selwyn College, Cambridge is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1882 by the Selwyn Memorial Committee in memory of George Selwyn (bishop of Lichfield), Georg ...

. On graduating in Natural Sciences he returned to Breconshire becoming a livestock farmer on the family farm at Llanfilo. During the mid-1980s he was elected Chairman of the Brecon and Radnorshire branch of the National Farmers Union.

Political career

Williams joined the Labour Party in 1969, but left to join the SDP at the formation of the party in 1981, representing it and subsequently the Liberal Democrats on

Powys County Council Powys County Council () is the local authority for Powys, one of the 22 principal areas of Wales. The council is based at County Hall in Llandrindod Wells. History The county of Powys was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act ...

. In 1990, he was elected Chairman of

Brecon Beacons National Park Brecon Beacons National Park, officially named Bannau Brycheiniog National Park (), is a National parks of the United Kingdom, national park in Wales. It is named after the Brecon Beacons (), the mountain range at its centre. The national park ...

. At the

1999 Welsh Assembly election The 1999 National Assembly for Wales election was held on Thursday 6 May 1999 to elect 60 members to the Senedd, at the time called the National Assembly for Wales (Welsh Parliament; ). It was the first Devolution in the United Kingdom, devolved ...

Williams contested Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire but finished a distant fifth. He stood down from Powys Council in 2001. In 2001, he was elected to represent the constituency of Brecon & Radnorshire, subsequently holding the seat with a majority of 751 following the retirement of fellow Liberal Democrat

Richard Livsey Richard Arthur Lloyd Livsey, Baron Livsey of Talgarth (2 May 1935 – 16 September 2010) was a British Liberal Democrat politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Brecon and Radnorshire from 1985 to 1992, and again from 1997 t ...

. At the

2005 election The following elections occurred in the year 2005. * 2005 United Nations Security Council election Africa * 2005 Burkinabé presidential election * 2005 Burundian Senate election * 2005 Burundian communal elections * 2005 Burundian constitutio ...

, Williams was returned with an improved majority of 3,905. He served as Shadow Welsh Secretary in the

Liberal Democrat Frontbench Team The Liberal Democrats (UK), Liberal Democrats are a political party in the United Kingdom. While in Opposition (parliamentary), opposition, the Leader of the Liberal Democrats appoints a frontbench team of Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), ...

in the 2005-10 Parliament and was re-elected at the 2010 election with a majority of 3,747. Williams was appointed

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(CBE) in the 2013 New Years Honours List for public and political service. In 2017, he rejoined

, winning the seat of Felin-fach, serving until 2022.

Personal life

He married Penelope James in 1973 in Devon. They have a son (born 1975) and daughter (born 1976). They also have four Grandchildren, one of which is Theo Williams.

Footnotes

External links

Profile
at the Liberal Democrats
Profile
at the Welsh Liberal Democrats
Brecon and Radnorshire Liberal Democrats
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Roger 1948 births Living people People educated at Christ College, Brecon Alumni of Selwyn College, Cambridge People from Crickhowell Councillors in Wales Members of Powys County Council Liberal Democrats (UK) MPs for Welsh constituencies Social Democratic Party (UK) politicians UK MPs 2001–2005 UK MPs 2005–2010 UK MPs 2010–2015 National Farmers' Union of England and Wales officials Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Liberal Democrats (UK) councillors