Breed was appointed an area manager with the Midland Bank in 1964. After 17 years with the bank, he became the managing director of Rowan Dartington & Co Ltd in 1981, before becoming a director with Gemini Abrasives in 1992 until his election to Westminster.
Political career
Breed was elected as a councillor to both the Caradon District Council and to the Saltash Town Council in 1982. He was twice selected as the Mayor of Saltash.[2] He was selected to contest the constituency of Cornwall South East at the 1997 general election, when the sitting Conservative MP Robert Hicks was retiring. The 1997 general election saw losses for the Conservatives across the UK and Breed was comfortably elected as the new Liberal Democrat MP for Cornwall South East with a majority of 6,480. He made his maiden speech on 24 June 1997 on the preservation of plant varieties.
Breed stood down from Parliament in April 2010, aged 62, and did not seek re-election.[4] His seat was lost to the ConservativeSheryll Murray who won with a 9.1% swing.[5]
Personal life and death
Breed was a Methodist lay preacher and voted conservatively on issues such as homosexuality.[6][7] He married Janet Courtiour in 1968 in Torbay and they had a son and a daughter.
Breed died on 9 May 2024, at the age of 77.[8][9][10]
