Gayle Lofthouse

Basic Information
Gayle Lofthouse is the founder and incumbent leader of the political party "West Yorkshire Independents for Change", a regional, big tent party with around 30,000 members across Britain. She has lead the party since the 31st of March, 2006, after it was formed out of three Labour councillors (including Gayle), three Conservative councillors, and one Liberal Democrat councillor.

Early Life
Gayle was born on the 9th of August, 1968, in the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, to her parents Margaret Lofthouse, a nurse, and John Lofthouse, a soldier. Sadly her mother died when she was just six years old, and due to her father's job she was often left to live with her non-biological aunt. In school, Gayle would become interested in the idea of giving back to her local area, and after graduating from the University of Leeds, she would do so by becoming a primary school teacher in the September of 1997 up until the July of 2002. Whilst at University, and before becoming a teacher, Gayle worked a multitude of jobs, including being a librarian, retail worker in a local supermarket, cleaner, and waitress in a local restaurant.

3 months later after leaving her career in education, in October 2002, she became a midday presenter on BBC Radio Leeds, until being sacked in April 2004 due to announcing her intention to run as a Labour councillor in Bradford, breaking the BBC's main rule to be impartial when it comes to politics.

Political Career
In May 2004, Gayle was elected and served as a Councillor for Bradford Council under the Labour Party and continued to affiliate this way up until March 2006, until she formed the West Yorkshire Independents for Change with 5 other councillors from across West Yorkshire. The party, which is big tent, is described as one that "Focuses on getting the best for everyone, rather than their own ego."

Since 2006, she has consistently worked in Bradford's Council under the WYI4C. She voted against tax rises and austerity cuts, which were proposed by the Labour council. She voted in favour of more funding towards green spaces, educational reform, and tax reliefs for business owners.

Private Life
Gayle married her husband, Mark, in 2001, and had 3 children with him before having her tubes tied, meaning she is unable to have anymore children. It is rumoured that she supports the legalisation of recreational marijuana and the decriminalisation of most drugs, although she hasn't publically said anything about this yet. Gayle regularly has bi-annual checkups at her local hospital due to her family having a history of breast cancer.