1. Layla Michelle Moran is a British Liberal Democrat politician.
33 Facts About Layla Moran
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Layla Moran has served as the Chair of the Health and Social Care Select Committee since September 2024, and has been Member of Parliament for Oxford West and Abingdon since 2017.
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Layla Moran studied physics at Imperial College London and completed her PGCE at Brunel University London.
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Layla Moran subsequently worked as a maths and physics teacher.
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Layla Moran unsuccessfully campaigned as the Liberal Democrat candidate in Battersea at the 2010 general election; in the West Central constituency at the 2012 London Assembly election; and in Oxford West and Abingdon at the 2015 general election.
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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.
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Layla Moran was 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 the first UK parliamentarian to do so.
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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, and Kingston, before going to 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.
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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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On 9 September 2024, Layla Moran was elected as Chair of the Health and Social Care Select Committee.
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Layla Moran has stated that she supports action on climate change, and was the only Oxfordshire MP to support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill.
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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.
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In 2020, Layla Moran campaigned against a proposal to build 11,000 new homes in Oxford by 2036.
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Layla Moran underwent stomach-stapling surgery to assist her in losing weight.
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Layla Moran was charged with domestic violence but the case was dropped.
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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.
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Layla Moran disclosed that she was in a relationship with former Liberal Democrat press officer Rosy Cobb.