Lembit Öpik

] He has since become a glider pilot at the Midland Gliding Club in Shropshire.

Öpik was engaged to the ITV weather presenter Siân Lloyd from 2002 to October 2006. They lived at his constituency house in Powys and were due to marry in 2006. They appeared on Celebrity "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" on 15 April, 2006, winning £64,000 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association and NCH Action for Children.

In December 2006 it was revealed that the relationship had broken down, as Lloyd became more frustrated with his heavy workload and late nights.Fact|date=April 2008

Öpik later become involved with then-24-year-old Gabriela Irimia of pop music double-act The Cheeky Girls. He announced his engagement to her in a popular magazine, after reportedly proposing in Rome. [ [http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=39304&c=1 Press Gazette - Lib Dem MP gets apology over Cheeky Sunday Times story ] ] Öpik split from Irimia in July 2008 after a "difficult period" in the relationship.Fact|date=July 2008

Öpik supports the English football team Leicester City F.C; [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/uk/the_mip_files/newsid_2459000/2459285.stm CBBC Newsround - Your MP Identified] ] his mother lives in the city. [ [http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200203/cmhansrd/vo030605/debtext/30605-13.htm House of Commons Hansard Debates for 5 Jun 2003 (pt 13)] ]

To some sections of the general public he is perhaps best known for his appearances on popular entertainment TV shows like "Have I Got News For You", and for concerns about the possibility of an asteroid impact on Earth. He advocates increased funding for attempts at detection, under the banner of Spaceguard, and describes himself as a "keen astronomer". [ [http://www.space.co.uk/DataBank/Transcripts/20080327LembitOpikMP/tabid/434/Default.aspx Transcript: Space.co.uk interviews Lembit Opik, MP at the 2008 UK Space Conference] ]

Charitable activity

He became a member of the Spinal Injuries Association [ [http://www.spinal.co.uk Spinal Injuries Association - Home Page ] ] after a near-fatal paragliding accident in 1998 broke his back in 12 places. In 2006 he became President of the Motor Neurone Disease Association, following his father's death from the disease the previous year.

Öpik participated in a celebrity edition of The Apprentice in order to raise money for charity. [ [http://www.cafonline.org/default.aspx?page=15209&WT.mc_id=400 "Lembit Öpik to appear in Sport Relief Does The Apprentice for charity"] , "Charities Aid Foundation", 2008-02-28. Retrieved on 2008-02-29.] Sport Relief Does The Apprentice was part of Sport Relief, the Comic Relief/BBC charity initiative that aired on 12 and 14 March 2008.

Public appearances

Öpik has appeared several times on the BBC satirical current affairs quiz show "Have I Got News for You", as well as "Question Time" and "Any Questions".

Away from politics he has also appeared on "Al Murray's Happy Hour", "All Star Mr. and Mrs", "Loose Women" and the "All Star Talent Show".

References

External links

* [http://www.epolitix.com/EN/MPWebsites/Lembit+Opik/ ePolitix.com - Lembit Öpik] official site
* [http://www.libdems.org.uk/people/lembit-opik Lembit Opik MP] profile at the site of Liberal Democrats
* [http://www.welshlibdems.org.uk/people_e_detail.asp?memberNo=176 Lembit Öpik MP] profile at the site of Welsh Liberal Democrats
* [http://www.themiddlewaygroup.org.uk/ The Parliamentary Middle Way Group]
* [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/student/news/article1524881.ece Times Online Student Section: Lembit Opik] Interview with Lembit Opik
* [http://politics.guardian.co.uk/person/0,9290,-5739,00.html Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Lembit Opik MP]
* [http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/lembit_opik/montgomeryshire TheyWorkForYou.com - Lembit Öpik MP]
* [http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?firstname=Lembit&lastname=%26Ouml%3Bpik&constituency=Montgomeryshire The Public Whip - Lembit Öpik] voting record
* [http://dmoz.org/Regional/Europe/United_Kingdom/Wales/Society_and_Culture/Politics/Parties/Welsh_Liberal_Democrats_-_Democratiaid_Rhyddfrydol_Cymru/MPs/Opik,_Lembit/ Open Directory Project - Lembit Opik] directory category
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/mpdb/html/410.stm BBC News - Politics: Lembit Opik] profile 10 February, 2005
* [http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23392706-details/Lembit%20and%20his%20very%20cheeky%20family/article.do Evening Standard (London); "Lembit and his Very Cheeky Family"]

Offices held