Lauren Booth
Encyclopedia
Lauren Booth is an English broadcaster
, journalist
and pro-Palestinian activist. She works for Iran
's English language news channel, Press TV
.
and the sixth daughter of the actor Tony Booth
with Pamela Smith (Cohen). She is the sister-in-law
of former British prime minister
Tony Blair
. She was married to actor Craig Darby and the couple have two children, Alexandra and Holly. Her mother, Pamela Smith (Cohen) was Jewish although Lauren wasn’t brought up a practising Jew.
, the Mail on Sunday, the Sunday Times and the Daily Mail
. She is a vocal opponent of the Iraq War and a supporter of the Stop the War Coalition
; a member of Woodcraft Folk, Media Workers Against the War and the National Union of Journalists
. She has been a panellist on the BBC's Have I Got News For You
, and a broadcaster on radio
and television
. She writes columns and features, mainly for the Mail on Sunday. She regularly reviews the UK newspapers on television for Sky News
, BBC One
and BBC News 24
.
In both 2005 and 2006 Booth travelled to the West Bank
where she has interviewed Mahmoud Abbas
. She gave two speeches on the condition of those living in the West Bank
and Gaza
, for the Royal Geographical Society
and Arab Media Watch
.
As of 2010, Booth presents In Focus on the UK's Islam Channel, and Between The Headlines on the Iranian-owned Press TV
.
In June 2011, Booth joined Cageprisoners
as a patron.
reality show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, donating the money she raised to charity Interpal
(Palestinian Relief and Development Fund).
by ship from Cyprus
, along with 46 other activists, to highlight the blockade of the Gaza Strip and deliver hearing aids and balloons to a deaf school in Gaza. Booth elected to remain behind in Gaza, and was subsequently refused entry into both Israel and Egypt. She said that she believed that, by refusing her the right to leave Gaza and return to her home country, Israel was in breach of Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
, specifically regarding freedom of movement
. Booth stated that she believes the "situation in Gaza is a humanitarian crisis on the scale of Darfur
" and called Gaza "the largest concentration camp in the world today", although the Jerusalem Post suggested that several photographs of Booth in a well-stocked Gaza grocery "bel[ied] the grim picture she painted of the Strip". During her visit, Booth received a Palestinian VIP passport from Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniya. Booth left Gaza through the Rafah Border Crossing into Egypt
on 20 September 2008.
's Global Peace and Unity
event on October 23, 2010, dressed in loose clothing and with a hijab, declaring: "My name is Lauren Booth, and I am a Muslim". She explained that she converted to Islam in mid-September, 2010, after her visit to the Shia Fatima al-Masumeh Shrine
, sister of eighth Imam Ali Al Rida
in Qom
, Iran
.
Julie Burchill
criticised Booth both for a career in which, "she works as a paid stooge for the murderous Iranian regime's television channel" and asked of her conversion "what sort of woman freely converts to a religion which supports the oppression, torment and murder of thousands of Christians, homosexuals and spirited women, worldwide, every year? The sort of woman who writes love letters to a serial killer, I reckon."
The Independent
's official diarist commented; ‘Can you really claim to have converted to Islam when you’ve only read the first 60 pagesof the Koran? What if you don’t like the ending?’
. One of her creditors is her half-sister, Cherie Blair
.
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
, journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and pro-Palestinian activist. She works for Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
's English language news channel, Press TV
Press TV
Press TV is a 24-hour English language global news network owned by the Iranian government. Its headquarters are located in Tehran, Iran, with bureaux in Beirut , Damascus , London , Seoul and Washington DC ....
.
Family
Lauren Booth is a half-sister of Cherie BlairCherie Blair
Cherie Blair , known professionally as Cherie Booth QC, is a British barrister working in the legal system of England and Wales. She is married to the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair; the couple have three sons and one daughter...
and the sixth daughter of the actor Tony Booth
Anthony Booth
Antony George Booth is an English actor, best known for his role as Mike Rawlins in the BBC series Till Death Us Do Part. His daughter, Cherie, a prominent Queen's Counsel, is married to former Prime Minister Tony Blair...
with Pamela Smith (Cohen). She is the sister-in-law
Sister-in-law
A sister-in-law is the sister of one's spouse, the wife of one's sibling, or sometimes the wife of one's spouse's sibling...
of former British prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
. She was married to actor Craig Darby and the couple have two children, Alexandra and Holly. Her mother, Pamela Smith (Cohen) was Jewish although Lauren wasn’t brought up a practising Jew.
Journalistic career
As a journalist, Booth has written for the New StatesmanNew Statesman
New Statesman is a British centre-left political and cultural magazine published weekly in London. Founded in 1913, and connected with leading members of the Fabian Society, the magazine reached a circulation peak in the late 1960s....
, the Mail on Sunday, the Sunday Times and the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
. She is a vocal opponent of the Iraq War and a supporter of the Stop the War Coalition
Stop the War Coalition
The Stop the War Coalition is a United Kingdom group set up on 21 September 2001 that campaigns against what it believes are unjust wars....
; a member of Woodcraft Folk, Media Workers Against the War and the National Union of Journalists
National Union of Journalists
The National Union of Journalists is a trade union for journalists in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. It was founded in 1907 and has 38,000 members. It is a member of the International Federation of Journalists .-Structure:...
. She has been a panellist on the BBC's Have I Got News For You
Have I Got News for You
Have I Got News for You is a British television panel show produced by Hat Trick Productions for the BBC. It is based loosely on the BBC Radio 4 show The News Quiz, and has been broadcast since 1990, currently the BBC's longest-ever running television panel show...
, and a broadcaster on radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
. She writes columns and features, mainly for the Mail on Sunday. She regularly reviews the UK newspapers on television for Sky News
Sky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
, BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
and BBC News 24
BBC News 24
BBC News is the BBC's 24-hour rolling news television network in the United Kingdom. The channel launched as BBC News 24 on 9 November 1997 at 17:30 as part of the BBC's foray into digital domestic television channels, becoming the first competitor to Sky News, which had been running since 1989...
.
In both 2005 and 2006 Booth travelled to the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
where she has interviewed Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas , also known by the kunya Abu Mazen , has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah ticket.Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally...
. She gave two speeches on the condition of those living in the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
and Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
, for the Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
and Arab Media Watch
Arab Media Watch
Arab Media Watch is a London-based media watchdog organization with the stated aim of working toward objective British media coverage of the Arab world. Founded in 2000, by Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi, Arab Media Watch is the "only organization of its kind in the UK". The organization monitors...
.
As of 2010, Booth presents In Focus on the UK's Islam Channel, and Between The Headlines on the Iranian-owned Press TV
Press TV
Press TV is a 24-hour English language global news network owned by the Iranian government. Its headquarters are located in Tehran, Iran, with bureaux in Beirut , Damascus , London , Seoul and Washington DC ....
.
In June 2011, Booth joined Cageprisoners
Cageprisoners
Cageprisoners Ltd is a London-based human rights organization with an Islamic focus, whose stated aim is "to raise awareness of the plight of the prisoners at Guantánamo Bay and other detainees held as part of the War on Terror." It campaigns on behalf of Muslim prisoners, including convicted...
as a patron.
Reality TV
In 2006 she was a contestant on the ITVITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
reality show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, donating the money she raised to charity Interpal
Interpal
Interpal is the working name for the British charity Palestinian Relief and Development Fund founded in 1994 which states that it is a non-political charity to alleviate problems faced by Palestinians, and focused solely on the provision of relief and development aid to the poor and needy...
(Palestinian Relief and Development Fund).
Gaza activism
In August 2008 she travelled to GazaGaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
by ship from Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, along with 46 other activists, to highlight the blockade of the Gaza Strip and deliver hearing aids and balloons to a deaf school in Gaza. Booth elected to remain behind in Gaza, and was subsequently refused entry into both Israel and Egypt. She said that she believed that, by refusing her the right to leave Gaza and return to her home country, Israel was in breach of Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a declaration adopted by the United Nations General Assembly . The Declaration arose directly from the experience of the Second World War and represents the first global expression of rights to which all human beings are inherently entitled...
, specifically regarding freedom of movement
Freedom of movement
Freedom of movement, mobility rights or the right to travel is a human right concept that the constitutions of numerous states respect...
. Booth stated that she believes the "situation in Gaza is a humanitarian crisis on the scale of Darfur
Darfur
Darfur is a region in western Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. The region is divided into three federal states: West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur...
" and called Gaza "the largest concentration camp in the world today", although the Jerusalem Post suggested that several photographs of Booth in a well-stocked Gaza grocery "bel[ied] the grim picture she painted of the Strip". During her visit, Booth received a Palestinian VIP passport from Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniya. Booth left Gaza through the Rafah Border Crossing into Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
on 20 September 2008.
Religious conversion and criticism
Booth appeared at the Islam ChannelIslam Channel
Islam Channel is a UK-based, free-to-air, English language, Islamic-focused satellite television channel funded by advertising and donations. It was reported in 2008 that UK government research found that 97.3% of Muslims watched the channel...
's Global Peace and Unity
Global Peace and Unity
The Global Peace and Unity event is an annual two-day conference held at the ExCeL Exhibition Centre in Royal Victoria Dock, London and organized by the Islam Channel. It is the largest Muslim, interfaith and multicultural event of its kind in Europe, having attracted over 55,000 visitors from...
event on October 23, 2010, dressed in loose clothing and with a hijab, declaring: "My name is Lauren Booth, and I am a Muslim". She explained that she converted to Islam in mid-September, 2010, after her visit to the Shia Fatima al-Masumeh Shrine
Fatima al-Masumeh Shrine
The shrine of Fatema Mæ'sume is located in Qom, the second most sacred city in Iran after Mashhad. Much of the shrine complex was first built by Shah Abbas I in the early 17th century. The shrine has attracted to itself dozens of seminaries and religious schools...
, sister of eighth Imam Ali Al Rida
Ali al-Rida
‘Alī ibn Mūsā al-Rizā was the seventh descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the eighth of the Twelve Imams, according to Shia sect of Islam...
in Qom
Qom
Qom is a city in Iran. It lies by road southwest of Tehran and is the capital of Qom Province. At the 2006 census, its population was 957,496, in 241,827 families. It is situated on the banks of the Qom River....
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
.
Julie Burchill
Julie Burchill
Julie Burchill is an English writer and journalist. Beginning as a writer for the New Musical Express at the age of 17, she has written for newspapers such as The Sunday Times and The Guardian. She is a self-declared "militant feminist". She has several times been involved in legal action...
criticised Booth both for a career in which, "she works as a paid stooge for the murderous Iranian regime's television channel" and asked of her conversion "what sort of woman freely converts to a religion which supports the oppression, torment and murder of thousands of Christians, homosexuals and spirited women, worldwide, every year? The sort of woman who writes love letters to a serial killer, I reckon."
The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
's official diarist commented; ‘Can you really claim to have converted to Islam when you’ve only read the first 60 pagesof the Koran? What if you don’t like the ending?’
Personal bankruptcy
In December 2010, Booth filed for bankruptcyBankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
. One of her creditors is her half-sister, Cherie Blair
Cherie Blair
Cherie Blair , known professionally as Cherie Booth QC, is a British barrister working in the legal system of England and Wales. She is married to the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair; the couple have three sons and one daughter...
.