Amber Rudd facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Amber Rudd
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Official portrait, 2017
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| Secretary of State for Work and Pensions | |
| In office 16 November 2018 – 7 September 2019 |
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| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by | Esther McVey |
| Succeeded by | Thérèse Coffey |
| Home Secretary | |
| In office 13 July 2016 – 29 April 2018 |
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| Prime Minister | Theresa May |
| Preceded by | Theresa May |
| Succeeded by | Sajid Javid |
| Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change | |
| In office 11 May 2015 – 13 July 2016 |
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| Prime Minister | David Cameron |
| Preceded by | Ed Davey |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Minister for Women and Equalities | |
| In office 24 July 2019 – 7 September 2019 |
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| Prime Minister | Boris Johnson |
| Preceded by | Penny Mordaunt |
| Succeeded by | Liz Truss |
| In office 9 January 2018 – 30 April 2018 |
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| Prime Minister | Theresa May |
| Preceded by | Justine Greening |
| Succeeded by | Penny Mordaunt |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Climate Change | |
| In office 15 July 2014 – 11 May 2015 |
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| Prime Minister | David Cameron |
| Preceded by | Greg Barker |
| Succeeded by | Nick Hurd |
| Member of Parliament for Hastings and Rye |
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| In office 6 May 2010 – 6 November 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Michael Foster |
| Succeeded by | Sally-Ann Hart |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Amber Augusta Rudd
1 August 1963 Marylebone, London, England |
| Political party |
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| Spouse |
A. A. Gill
(m. 1990; div. 1995) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent |
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| Relatives | Roland Rudd (brother) |
| Education |
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| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh (MA) |
| Signature |  |
Amber Augusta Rudd (born 1 August 1963) is a British former politician. She served as Home Secretary from 2016 to 2018. This role is one of the most important in the UK government. She was also Secretary of State for Work and Pensions from 2018 to 2019.
Rudd was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Hastings and Rye. She was first elected in 2010. She represented the Conservative Party and left Parliament in 2019. She is known for her moderate conservative views.
Rudd was born in Marylebone, London. She studied History at the University of Edinburgh. Before becoming an MP, she worked in finance. She was elected to the House of Commons for Hastings and Rye in 2010.
She held several important jobs in the government. These included Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change from 2015 to 2016. In this role, she focused on renewable energy and climate change mitigation.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Amber Rudd was born on 1 August 1963 in Marylebone, London. She was the fourth child of stockbroker Tony Rudd and magistrate Ethne Fitzgerald. Her parents were married for 56 years. Her older brother, Roland Rudd, is a public relations executive.
She attended New Hall School and Cheltenham Ladies' College. These are private schools in the UK. From 1979 to 1981, she studied at Queen's College, London. After that, she went to the University of Edinburgh. There, she studied History at the School of History, Classics and Archaeology.
Political Career
After university, Amber Rudd worked for J.P. Morgan & Co.. She worked in both London and New York. She also helped find extras for the film Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994). She was even credited as the "aristocracy co-ordinator" for the movie.
Becoming an MP
Rudd first ran for Parliament in 2005. She was a Conservative candidate for a seat held by the Labour Party. In 2006, she was chosen to run for the Hastings and Rye constituency. She moved to Hastings Old Town in 2007.
In the May 2010 general election, she won the seat for Hastings and Rye. She won with a majority of 1,993 votes. Soon after, she joined the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee.
Rudd was also involved in important campaigns. She was vice-chair of a committee against harmful practices affecting women. She also led a group that looked into sex equality. This group published a report about women in the workplace. She also supported having more women in the UK government's main team, the Cabinet.
In September 2012, she became a Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne. In October 2013, she became an assistant government whip. In July 2014, Rudd was appointed a Minister for the Department for Energy and Climate Change.
Energy and Climate Change Secretary
After the 2015 general election, Rudd kept her seat in Parliament. She was then promoted to Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change. This happened in May 2015. She also became a member of the Privy Council.
In March 2015, she released a plan to help people who struggle to pay for heating their homes. She promised to improve the energy efficiency of homes by 2030. She also passed laws to help vulnerable people get discounts on energy bills.
In November 2015, she suggested that the UK's remaining coal-fired power stations should close by 2025. She said, "We need to build a new energy infrastructure, fit for the 21st century."
Rudd also took part in a TV debate about the UK's membership in the European Union. She campaigned for the UK to remain in the EU.
Home Secretary Role
When Theresa May became Prime Minister in July 2016, Rudd was appointed Home Secretary. This made her the fifth woman to hold one of the Great Offices of State. These are the most important jobs in the UK government.
In October 2016, she discussed rules for Australian citizens wanting to live and work in the UK. She said there were no plans to increase immigration from Australia.
She was reappointed as Home Secretary after the 2017 general election. She kept her seat in Hastings and Rye by a small number of votes.
In September 2017, Rudd spoke about other politicians. She said that Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson was trying to make things difficult for the Prime Minister.
In November 2017, US President Donald Trump shared some anti-Muslim videos. Rudd criticized Trump for sharing this content. She said that the group behind the videos was hateful. Rudd also stressed that good relations between the US and Britain are very important.
On 29 April 2018, Rudd resigned as Home Secretary. This happened after she gave incorrect information to a committee about deportation targets. Later that day, Sajid Javid was appointed as the new Home Secretary.
Internet Safety
In October 2017, Rudd announced plans to control what British citizens could see online. This was part of a campaign against dangerous ideas. Rudd stated that people who repeatedly viewed certain forbidden online content could face serious penalties. She wanted to make sure those who looked at harmful content, like bomb-making instructions, faced the full force of the law.
Rise in Crime
Rudd was asked about a report that linked cuts to police numbers with a rise in violent crime. She said she had not seen the report. The report suggested that fewer police officers might have allowed crime to continue rising.
Work and Pensions Secretary
On 16 November 2018, Rudd returned to the government. She became Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. She took over from Esther McVey.
She was re-appointed to this role by Boris Johnson on 24 July 2019. She also took on her previous role as Minister for Women and Equalities.
On 7 September 2019, Rudd resigned from the government. She also left the Conservative Party in Parliament. She did this to protest against Boris Johnson's policy on Brexit. She announced on 30 October that she would not run for MP again in the next election.
Brexit Views
Before the 2016 Brexit referendum, Rudd supported the UK staying in the EU. Later, in 2018, she suggested that a second public vote on Brexit might be needed. She said if Parliament could not agree on how to leave the EU, then taking it "back to the people again" might be an option.
While in Theresa May's government, Rudd was against leaving the EU without a deal. She said in March 2019 that it could cause "generational damage" to the economy. However, she changed her mind to keep her job in Boris Johnson's government in July that year.
On 7 September 2019, Rudd resigned from the government. She said she felt the government's main goal was to leave the EU without a deal. She preferred leaving with a deal.
Local Issues
Rudd was very involved in local issues for her constituency. She supported the fishing fleet in Hastings. In her first speech as an MP, she called for changes to fishing rules.
She also successfully campaigned for the Hastings to Bexhill Link Road. The government approved the road's construction in 2013. Rudd also supported improving the Marshlink Line railway. This would create a high-speed rail link from her area to London.
In April 2013, a newspaper reported her comments about people moving to Hastings for benefits. She responded by saying she was very positive about Hastings. She mentioned the town's problems but also its improvements and falling unemployment.
Leaving Parliament
On 7 September 2019, Rudd confirmed she would not run again in Hastings and Rye. She did not want to divide loyalties in her area. On 30 October 2019, Rudd announced she would not run in the 2019 United Kingdom general election. She said she was "not finished with politics," suggesting a possible return later.
Life After Parliament
Since leaving Parliament, Rudd has taken on new roles. She became a senior adviser at Teneo and an adviser to Darktrace. She is also a trustee for The Climate Group.
In March 2020, Rudd was invited to speak at the Oxford Union. This was for an International Women's Day event. However, the UNWomen Oxford society later withdrew their invitation. Oxford University criticized this decision.
In July 2020, she started hosting her own show, Split Opinion, on Times Radio. She hosts it with her daughter, Flora Gill.
In October 2021, Rudd joined Finsbury Glover Hering (FGH). This is a company that gives advice on strategy and communication. Her brother, Roland, helped start this company.
In January 2022, Centrica, an energy company, appointed Rudd as a non-executive director. She also joined two of the company's committees. Some people criticized this appointment. They pointed out that energy bills were very high at the time.
According to her social media, as of August 2023, Rudd works in the private sector. She mainly focuses on energy and cyber security.
Personal Life
Amber Rudd married writer A. A. Gill in 1990. They had two children, including journalist Flora Gill. They separated in 1995 and later divorced. Rudd was also in a relationship with former Conservative MP Kwasi Kwarteng.
Rudd is a trustee of the Snowdon Trust. This group helps young disabled people get an education. She has also been a director of the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize since 2003. This award is for new female playwrights. She also served as a governor for The St Leonards Academy in Hastings.
See also
In Spanish: Amber Rudd para niños
