Caroline Pidgeon

Caroline Valerie Pidgeon, Baroness Pidgeon, (born 29 September 1972), is a British politician. She served as the leader of the Liberal Democrats in the London Assembly from 2010 to 2024, and was a member of the London Assembly (AM) from 2008 to 2024. Pidgeon was a councillor on Southwark London Borough Council from 1998 to 2010 and has been a member of the House of Lords since 2024.

Early life and education Pidgeon was born in Eastleigh, Hampshire, on 29 September 1972 to Eric and Valerie Pidgeon. She grew up in Hampshire, and graduated from Aberystwyth University with a degree in economics in 1994. After university, Pidgeon moved to London.

Career From 1994 to 1996, Pidgeon was a political researcher for Rose Colley, a councillor on Southwark London Borough Council. Pidgeon was also a political researcher at Brent Council from 1996 to 1999. She was employed at Croydon Health Authority as a communications manager from 1999 to 2002, and undertook the same role at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust from 2002 to 2006. During her time on the Council, she served as deputy leader of the council (from 2002 to 2004), and as a cabinet member for Education (2004–2006) and Children's Services (2006–2008). In the same election, she was the third candidate on the party's London-wide party list and was thereby elected onto the London Assembly. Pidgeon was re-elected in 2012 and again in 2016.

Following her election to the London Assembly, Pidgeon retired from Southwark Council at the 2010 local election. At the 2010 general election on the same day, Pidgeon unsuccessfully stood in the Vauxhall constituency, finishing in second place.

On the London Assembly, Pidgeon served as a member of the Metropolitan Police Authority between 2008 and 2012 and the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority between 2008 and 2010.

In September 2015, Pidgeon secured the Liberal Democrats' candidacy for the 2016 London mayoral election. Pidgeon promised to focus on housing, affordable childcare, air pollution and public transport. She emphasised the need to ensure that workers can live in the city by using rent control and reducing public transport costs. She ranked 13 out of 50 on the Top 50 Influential Lib Dems of 2020 list.

Pidgeon was reelected as one of two Liberal Democrat members in the 2021 London Assembly election. In November 2022 she announced that she would not seek reelection in the 2024 election.

Pidgeon assumed the role of chair of the English Liberal Democrats on 1 January 2025.

Peerage After standing down from the London Assembly, Pidgeon was nominated for a life peerage in the 2024 Dissolution Honours. She was created Baroness Pidgeon, of Newington in the London Borough of Southwark, on 12 August 2024.

Personal life Pidgeon lives with her husband, Paul Miles, whom she married in 2006, and their son. Outside of politics, she enjoys cinema and modern art.

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