Amber Rudd is a former British politician and advocate for equality, known for her roles as Home Secretary and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. She studied History at the University of Edinburgh before starting her career in investment banking at J.P. Morgan & Co. in London and New York. At 24, she became a director at Lawnstone Limited, which later faced financial issues. Rudd entered politics as the Conservative candidate for Liverpool Garston in the 2005 general election and was elected as the MP for Hastings and Rye in 2010, defeating Labour's Michael Foster. She served on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee and held several ministerial positions, including Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Energy and Climate Change and Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change. She was appointed Home Secretary by Prime Minister Theresa May in July 2016 and resigned in April 2018 amid the Windrush deportation scandal. Rudd later became Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in November 2018, continuing in that role under Boris Johnson. As an advocate for women's rights, Rudd was vice-chair of the Parliamentary committee on female genital mutilation and chaired a cross-party inquiry into unplanned pregnancies, promoting sex-and-relationships education in schools. She supported local issues, including the Hastings fishing fleet and transport infrastructure. Rudd played a significant role in the Paris Climate Change Agreement in December 2015 and called for international cooperation to combat online radicalisation during her time as Home Secretary, contributing to the establishment of the Global Internet Forum for Counter Terrorism in 2017. Since leaving politics, Rudd has become a keynote speaker, focusing on equality and women's rights, while remaining engaged in community initiatives. She enjoys cultural activities and fitness in her spare time.
