Baroness (Elizabeth) Berridge of the Vale of Catmose has been in the House of Lords since January 2011.  On appointment she was the youngest female peer.

Most recently Elizabeth was Schools’ Minister (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State) in the Department for Education and Minister for Women (February 2020-September 2021). From July 2019 to February 2020 Elizabeth was the Government Whip for four Government Departments, (Justice, Education, Communities and Local Government and Work and Pensions.)

After reading Law at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, Elizabeth undertook Barrister’s training at the Inns of Court Law School in London and practiced at Kings Chambers in Manchester, specialising in personal injury and licensing law. In 2005 she became Executive Director of the Conservative Christian Fellowship, a role she held until her elevation as a life peer in 2011. Having lived in Trinidad and Ghana she pioneered relationships with Britain’s ethnic minority communities for the Conservative Party.

Since 2012, she has become a key voice in the deepening worldwide discussion on freedom of religion and belief. Elizabeth was a member of the Steering Group of the International Panel of Parliamentarians. Their pledge is to work together to end belief-based persecution worldwide.  Elizabeth was the first Chair of Freedom Declared Foundation, standing down to become a Trustee when she was appointed a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in February 2020.  She was the co-founder and Co-Chair of the All-Party Group on International Freedom of Religion and Belief. (2013-2019) She was the Director of the Commonwealth Initiative on International Freedom of Religion or Belief, University of Birmingham.