On This Day

16 September 1968

Happy birthday to Ian Room, Liberal Democrat MP for North Devon

Ian Room was born and raised in Sheffield and joined the RAF after leaving school, serving in the UK and Germany. He moved to Devon in 1989 after being posted to RAF Chivenor. On leaving the RAF, Room worked as a mental health nurse at North Devon District Hospital, later becoming a community mental health worker. In 2003 he was elected as a councillor for Barnstaple Town Council serving as mayor three times. He has also served on North Devon District Council (where he led the council) and Devon County Council. Room defeated the sitting Conservative MP Selaine Saxby with a majority of 6,744. In the House of Commons Room sits on the Defence Select Committee.