Layla Michelle Moran is a British Liberal Democrat politician serving as the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and International Development since 2020, and serving as the Member of Parliament for Oxford West and Abingdon since 2017.
33 Facts About Layla Moran
2.
Layla Moran studied Physics at Imperial College London and completed her PGCE at Brunel University London.
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Layla Moran unsuccessfully campaigned as the Liberal Democrat candidate in Battersea at the 2010 general election and in the West Central constituency at the 2012 London Assembly election.
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Layla Moran contested Oxford West and Abingdon at the 2015 general election, coming second.
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Layla Moran was selected for the seat again at the 2017 general election and was elected to the House of Commons, defeating Conservative MP Nicola Blackwood, with 26,256 votes and a majority of 816.
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Layla Moran served as the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for the Department for Education under three leaders from 2017 to 2020, and was spokesperson for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport from 2019 to 2020.
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Layla Moran came out as pansexual in 2020 and is believed to be the first UK parliamentarian to do so.
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Layla Michelle Moran was born in Hammersmith, London on 12 September 1982, the elder daughter of diplomat James Moran and Randa Moran, a Christian Palestinian from Jerusalem.
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Layla Moran's great-grandfather was the Palestinian writer Wasif Jawhariyyeh, who published extensive memoirs.
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Layla Moran attended private schools in Brussels, Kingston in Jamaica and Roedean School in Brighton.
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From 2003 to 2012, Layla Moran was a maths and physics teacher at the International School of Brussels, and at two schools in London: Queensmead School and Southbank International School.
12.
Layla Moran was selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Battersea at the 2010 general election and came in third place.
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Layla Moran stood as a candidate for the West Central constituency in the 2012 London Assembly election, coming fourth.
14.
Layla Moran contested Oxford West and Abingdon at the 2015 general election, coming second.
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Layla Moran was selected for the seat again at the 2017 general election and won the seat from Nicola Blackwood, a Conservative who was then a junior minister for health, with 26,256 votes and a majority of 816.
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Layla Moran became the first UK Member of Parliament of Palestinian descent and the first female Liberal Democrat MP from an ethnic minority background.
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In June 2017, Layla Moran was named Liberal Democrat spokesperson for education, science and young people in the House of Commons.
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Also in July 2017, Layla Moran was jeered at for accusing the Conservatives of underfunding a new scheme to provide 30 hours of free child care for the children of working parents.
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In May 2019, Layla Moran announced that, being a relatively new MP, she would not be running in the 2019 Liberal Democrats leadership election.
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Layla Moran had been considered a frontrunner to replace Vince Cable as leader, following his announcement in September 2018 that he intended to step down from the post.
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In March 2020, Layla Moran announced that she would be running in the 2020 leadership election.
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Layla Moran has been a leading voice in the call for a full review of the GCSE history curriculum.
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Layla Moran argues that to tackle institutional racism in society students must be taught of Britain's colonial past and the injustices that took place within it.
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In 2021, Layla Moran was one of three MPs who successfully took legal action against the Department of Health and Social Care over contracts awarded during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Layla Moran opposed Brexit and supported a second referendum on EU membership.
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Layla Moran is critical of Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen.
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Layla Moran believes that the United Kingdom should announce recognition of the State of Palestine.
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Layla Moran supported an inquiry into the disappearances of Mohammed Bin Nayef and Prince Ahmed Bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia.
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Layla Moran is critical of the arms-trade between Britain and Saudi Arabia, and is a critic of Russia.
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Layla Moran is a supporter of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and called for her release from prison in Iran.
31.
Layla Moran underwent stomach-stapling surgery to assist her in losing weight.
32.
On 2 January 2020, Layla Moran revealed in an interview with PinkNews that she is pansexual; she is believed to be the first UK parliamentarian to come out as pansexual.
33.
Layla Moran disclosed that she was in a stable relationship with Rosy Cobb, formerly a Liberal Democrat press officer.