Gideon John Amos[1] OBE is a British politician, architect, and urban designer. He has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Taunton and Wellington since 2024. A member of the Liberal Democrats, he gained the seat from Rebecca Pow of the Conservative Party with a majority of 11,989 in the 2024 United Kingdom General Election.

Gideon Amos
Amos in 2022
Member of Parliament
for Taunton and Wellington
Assumed office
4 July 2024
Preceded byConstituency established
Majority11,939 (23.7%)
Liberal Democrat portfolios
2024–presentHousing and Planning
Personal details
Born
Gideon John Amos
Political partyLiberal Democrats
Children4
Alma materOxford Brookes University
Profession
  • Chartered architect
  • urban designer
Websitewww.gideonamos.org.uk

Early life and education

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Amos grew up in Somerset.[2][3] He was privately educated at Wells Cathedral School and studied architecture at Oxford Polytechnic (later Oxford Brookes University).[4] Amos served as a member of the Territorial Army and has been an inspector and helper with the Army Cadet Force.[5]

Career

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After qualifying as an urban designer and a chartered architect, Amos designed and managed housing and listed-building developments in the private sector.[6] He was appointed a development designer at Atkins in 1994. He became a director of Planning Aid for London in 1997 and was appointed the chief executive of the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) in 2000.[7] Amos sat on advisory groups for planning and eco-development at the Department for Communities and Local Government.[6] He left the TCPA in 2010 to become a commissioner at the new Infrastructure Planning Commission.[7][8]

Amos worked on infrastructure planning as a civil servant at the Planning Inspectorate for five years, and co-founded Amos Ellis Consulting, a planning consultancy, in 2015.[9][10] He has served as a council member at the National Infrastructure Planning Association.[11]

In the 2009 New Year Honours, Amos was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to sustainable development.[12]

Political career

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Amos was a Liberal Democrat member of Oxford City Council for the ward of Central from 1992 to 1996, serving on a planning committee.[6][7][13]

In the 2017 and 2019 general elections, Amos stood for election to Parliament in Taunton Deane, finishing in second place to Rebecca Pow of the Conservative Party on both occasions.[14] He defeated Pow in the new constituency of Taunton and Wellington at the 2024 general election, achieving 48.4 per cent of the vote and a majority of 11,939.[15]

Personal life

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Amos lives in Taunton with his wife Caroline and their four children.[3]

References

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  1. ^ "No. 64465". The London Gazette. 22 July 2024. p. 14087.
  2. ^ Bird, Ken (9 November 2022). "Gideon Amos to contest Taunton Deane seat again". Around Wellington. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Gideon Amos". Taunton and Wellington Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  4. ^ "The things I know: Gideon Amos, Chief executive, Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA)". Planning. 9 March 2007. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  5. ^ Leaman, Tom (6 July 2024). "New Taunton MP Gideon Amos opens Somerset Armed Forces Day". Somerset County Gazette. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "Biographies of Commissioners of the Infrastructure Planning Commission" (DOC). UK Parliament. p. 2. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  7. ^ a b c Branson, Adam (8 March 2010). "Interview: Gideon Amos". Placemaking Resource. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  8. ^ Clemence, Hollie (16 December 2009). "Infrastructure Planning Commission makes three appointments". Building. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  9. ^ Hollander, Gavriel (1 June 2017). "Election Insight: housing insiders". Inside Housing. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  10. ^ "AEC". Amos Ellis Consulting. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  11. ^ "UK infrastructure leaders convene to consider latest policy reforms at this year's NSIPs Forum". Building Design & Construction. 21 February 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  12. ^ "No. 58929". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2008. p. 9.
  13. ^ "Oxford City Council Election Results 1973–2012" (PDF). The Elections Centre. pp. 8–9. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  14. ^ "Election 2019 – Taunton Deane". BBC News. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  15. ^ "Taunton & Wellington | General Election 2024". Sky News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
New constituency Member of Parliament
for Taunton and Wellington

2024–present
Incumbent