Mike German, Baron German

Michael James German, Baron German ( born May 8, 1945 in Cardiff, Wales), best known as Mike German, is a British politician, former member of the National Assembly for Wales, Member of the House of Lords and winner of the Order of the British Empire.

Life

At an early age, Mike German was active in the Sea Scouts in Cardiff. He attended college in the Welsh St. Illtyd and later the St. Mary's University College in Twickenham near London. After his graduation, he initially began a correspondence course at the Open University and later at the University of the West of England. After graduating, he worked from 1966 to 1991 as a music teacher and an honorary member of the school board (so-called school governor ). In 1991 he became Head of European Affairs at the Welsh Joint Education Committee ( WJEC ).

Besides his work as a teacher, he began already to get involved early in the political Liberal Democrats in his home town of Cardiff. From 1983 to 1996 he was leader of the Liberal Democrats in Cardiff from 1987 to 1991 he was a member of the co-chairmanship of Cardiff City Council. In the years 1983 and 1987 he belonged to the Liberal Democrats, which at the time spoke out for an alliance with the SDP. In the election of 1983 finally separated him only 3452 votes from the election victory. In 1996 he was awarded the Order of the British Empire awarded. He was elected to the National Assembly for Wales and re-elected twice in 2003 and 2007 in 1999.

Under the coalition of Labour and Liberal Democrats in Wales from 2000 to 2001 he was Deputy First Minister and Minister for Economy and Transport. Due to fraud allegations in his work at the WJEC he left his post as deputy prime rest from 2001 and was represented by Jenny Randerson interim basis. The accusations later turned out to be unfounded. From 2002 to 2003 he was the Minister for Rural Affairs and the representation of Wales abroad. In November 2007, to 2008, he was followed by Lembit Opik as the Chairman of the Liberal Democrats in Wales.

In 2010 he was appointed Baron of German Llanfrechfa in the County Borough of Torfaen and has since been a member of the House of Lords. Due to his appointment as Baron, he had his seat in the National Assembly to give up, he was succeeded by his wife Veronica German as deputies after.

Family

Mike German is the second child of the first marriage father and married since 2006 to his second wife Veronica German.