Gillian Merron

Gillian Merron, Baroness Merron, is a British politician and life peer who has served as Chief Executive of the Board of Deputies of British Jews since 2014. A Labour Party member, she was elected to the House of Commons in 1997 for Lincoln until her defeat in 2010. During her parliamentary career, she held various ministerial roles, including service as a government whip and later as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State.

Born on April 12, 1959, in Ilford, Essex, to a Jewish family, Merron studied at Lancaster University and worked in local government before joining the Labour Party in 1984. She became an MP through an all-women shortlist in 1997.

Post-parliament, she served as Chair of Bus Users UK and later CEO of the Board of Deputies of British Jews. In 2021, she was appointed a life peer by Keir Starmer and joined the House of Lords, focusing on health-related roles. She also participates in Jewish community activities and organizations.

Merron faced scrutiny over her expenses following the UK Parliamentary expenses scandal but repaid the recommended amount.