Sal Brinton (Baroness Brinton) is a working Liberal Democrat Peer in the House of Lords, with a special interest in education, skills & learning, following twenty years working and serving in the education sector. Sal is the Director of the Association of the Universities in the East of England. In 1997 she won the East Anglian Businesswoman of the Year award for her work as Bursar of Lucy Cavendish College Cambridge, and she was later Bursar of Selwyn College Cambridge from 1997 to 2002.
She was the Liberal Democrat party’s parliamentary candidate for Watford constituency in 2005 and 2010, narrowly losing out by less than 1500 votes both times making Watford one of the top marginals in the country. Sal lead many local campaigns, including fighting for improved health services, and campaigning to keep local post offices and the Wiggenhall household waste & recycling centre open. She has also served as a county councillor in Cambridgeshire between 1993 and 2004, first as the Education Portfolio holder, then as the Leader of the Opposition.
She was on the Board of the East of England Development Agency, and the region’s skills champion, from Dec 1998 to Dec 2004, serving as Deputy Chair for her last three years. She was Chair of the Cambridgeshire Learning and Skills Council from 1999 to 2005. In 2003, Sal was awarded an honorary PhD for her contribution to education, skills and learning by Anglia Polytechnic University. She is currently a director of the University for Industry.
Sal and husband Tim live with their family at their home in the heart of Watford. They are active members of St Luke's Church, Langley Way. Born in Paddington in 1955, Sal is the eldest daughter of Tim Brinton, the former ITN newscaster and Conservative MP for Gravesend. After joining the Liberal Party in 1975, Sal has played a leading part in many campaigns and party groups, including serving as Vice Chair of both the Federal Policy and Federal Conference Committees.
Sal is a Trustee of Christian Blind Mission, the largest non-governmental disability charity working in the developing world. CBM was founded 100 years ago to specialise in medical work to help those suffering from diseases that affect the eye. More recently it has expanded its work to support children with disabilities in the developing world. See more at www.cbmuk.org.uk
Sal began her career in the mid 70s at the BBC as a floor manager working on programmes such as Doctor Who, Grandstand and Playschool (where she met her husband Tim). Later she worked as a venture capitalist, investing in high-tech companies.