Vernon-Jackson was an elected member of the
Newbury Council from 1995 to 2003, where he served as Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats group. During this period, he served as Head of Office for Newbury MP
David Rendel, and the Deputy Director of Campaigns of the Liberal Democrats. He would also contest the
European Parliament Election, 1999 as 8th member of the Liberal Democrats list for the
South East England constituency, ahead of future MEP
Catherine Bearder. In 2003 he was elected to
Milton Ward and assumed the Deputy Leadership of the Portsmouth Liberal Democrats Group. In 2004 he became Leader of the Council, a position he held until the
2014 council election. During this period, the Liberal Democrat administration was accused of covering up an independent report into allegations of sexual harassment made against then-MP
Mike Hancock, Vernon-Jackson himself having dismissed the accusations as being motivated by possible financial gain. Following a spell in opposition, after the
2018 council election, Vernon-Jackson reassumed Leadership of the Council in a minority administration with the support of the
Labour Party council group. Since reassuming leadership, Vernon-Jackson's second administration caused controversy due to its decision to pursue the closure of Victory Energy, pursued the development of
Tipner West, sought and received approval for the development of the Horsea Island Country Park and took charge of Council preparations for Brexit. In a letter to
Michael Gove, minister in charge of no-deal Brexit planning, Vernon-Jackson accused the Government of underestimating the potential strife caused by a no-deal Brexit to Portsmouth docks. During his time in opposition, Vernon-Jackson ran for the
Portsmouth South constituency, first in
2015 to succeed
Mike Hancock, and then again in
2017 in an attempt to retake the constituency for the Liberal Democrats, however was defeated in both attempts by
Flick Drummond and
Stephen Morgan, respectively. He stood again in
Portsmouth South at the
2019 election, initially placed first in constituency polling against Labour and the Conservative candidates in a poll commissioned by the Liberal Democrats, however successive polling commissioned by the Liberal Democrats for the constituency would see Vernon-Jackson slip into third place, where he would ultimately poll on election day. In the
2016 Birthday Honours, Vernon-Jackson was appointed a
Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to local government. Following the 2023 local elections, Vernon-Jackson stepped down as Leader of the Portsmouth City Council. He was succeeded by Steve Pitt, his Ward Colleague for Milton. From 2012 to 2017, Vernon-Jackson served as Vice Chair & Lib Dem Group Leader on the
Local Government Association. Since January 2020, Vernon-Jackson has been a member of the
Liberal Democrats Federal Board, and he was Chair of the
English Liberal Democrats from February 2020 to December 2020. ==References==