Jeremy Purvis

UK

Jeremy Purvis was appointed a Liberal Democrat working peer in August 2013, taking the title Lord Purvis of Tweed. He was born at the mouth of the river in Berwick-upon-Tweed and represented its source as Member of the Scottish Parliament for Tweeddale, Ettrick & Lauderdale (2003-2011). When elected he was the youngest constituency MSP and he is one of the youngest ever Life Peers.

In Parliament he successfully steered through the House of Lords the International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Act 2015, establishing in law the UK’s annual commitment to reach the 0.7% of GNP for overseas development assistance. In the 2015-16 session he introduced a Constitutional Convention Bill to establish a British citizen led constitutional convention to renew British democracy.

Jeremy is a member of the House of Lords International Relations Committee, Executive Committee member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (UK) and a member of the Executive Committee of the British Group of the Inter Parliamentary Union. He is co-chair and office holder of a number of All Party Parliamentary Groups on constitutional reform, the Global Goals, human rights, democratic participation and supporting Scottish industries such as textiles and whisky. In 2016 Jeremy was appointed a member of the Independent Commission on Parliamentary Reform by the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament.