Our People

Tim Farron is the Chair of Christians in Parliament and was the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Party from 2015 to 2017. He has been the Liberal Democrat MP for Westmorland & Lonsdale since 2005 and previously served as Party President from 2010-2014. He was the Chair of the 2013 National Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast, which had as its theme ‘Belief in God in 21st Century Britain’.

Marsha de Cordova is an officer of Christians in Parliament and has been the Labour MP for Battersea since 2017. She was Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities from April 2020 until September 2021. Before entering Parliament she worked in the charity sector for over 10 years, campaigning on the issue of social security. She is also a trade unionist and a member of Unite the Union where she represented disabled workers on the London & Eastern Regional Committee and the National Disabled Members Committee. She is the Vice Chair of Disability Labour.

Rebecca Smith is an Officer of Christians in Parliament and is the new Conservative MP for South West Devon. She studied Modern History and Politics at the University of Southampton and has worked in Brussels, held various public service roles in London, and more recently, worked for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Returning to Plymouth in 2015, she has served as a Councillor, Chair of the Planning Committee, and Cabinet Member for Homes and Communities. Her key issues include environmental advocacy, housing, improving adoption services, and preventing violence against women and girls. As a committed Christian, Rebecca is an active member of her local church and is fully led into public service by her faith. 

Donald Curry is an Officer of Christians in Parliament and has been a Crossbench Peer in the House of Lords since 2011. He is a trustee of Clinton Devon Estates, and also Anglican International Development (AID), a charity leading on a range of development projects in South Sudan. He is also Chair of Food and Farming Futures and a founder and Chair of The Rural Design Centre in the North East of England. In 2017 he became President of Community Action Northumberland.He was the Chair of the 2023 National Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast, which had as its theme ‘The Power of Forgiveness in Public Life’.

Revd Mark Harris is a Senior Parliamentary Officer for Christians in Parliament. Prior to this, he worked in the financial services sector for fifteen years. He holds Masters degrees in Theology from the University of Oxford and in Philosophy from King’s College London and is ordained in the Church of England.

Claire Newman is a Senior Parliamentary Officer for Christians in Parliament. Her role includes: managing the Christians in Parliament events programme and the National Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast, meeting with Members and staff one-to-one, leading small group Bible study & fellowship groups and producing resources. Prior to this, Claire worked in both the private and not-for profit sectors, most recently as Director of Internal Communications for Save the Children International.