Stephen Williams worked in local and national politics for thirty years. He was a councillor on Avon County and Bristol City councils, serving for three terms. In 2005 Stephen was elected as the Member of Parliament for Bristol West, serving for ten years. In opposition he was the Liberal Democrat shadow minister for public health, schools and Higher Education & Skills. In the Coalition Government he was Treasury spokesman 2010-13 and then Minister for Communities in what is now the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. His ministerial responsibilities included housing, neighbourhood planning and community rights, local economic development, hate crime and community cohesion. He served on cabinet committees on devolution, drugs policy, greening government, violence against women and girls and regional economic development. For three years Stephen was chair of the APPG on Smoking and Public Health and was awarded a UN medal by the WHO for his work. He also led for the Liberal Democrats on the legislation for Same Sex Marriage.
Stephen grew up just north of Cardiff and is a Bristol University history graduate. His interests are reading and writing about history, politics and culture and he gives talks on genealogy.
Stephen advises JBP clients on their engagement with central and local government and on a range of policy areas.
