Oona King
Encyclopedia
Oona Tamsyn King, Baroness King of Bow (born 22 October 1967) is a Baroness and Member of the House of Lords
, and former Chief Diversity Officer of Channel 4
. She previously had served as a Labour Party
Member of Parliament
for Bethnal Green and Bow from 1997
until 2005
, when she was defeated by Respect
candidate George Galloway
. She was the second black female MP elected to the House of Commons, after Diane Abbott
.
, South Yorkshire to a Jewish mother, social justice activist Murreil Hazel Sterns, and an African-American father, political theorist Preston King. She is the niece of the medical doctor Miriam Stoppard
(her mother's sister) and her playwright husband Tom Stoppard
. Her cousin is the actor Ed Stoppard
. On her father's side, she comes from a line of civil rights activists and successful entrepreneurs. Her paternal grandfather, the civil rights activist, Clennon Washington King, Sr.
fathered seven sons.
King was educated at Haverstock Comprehensive Secondary School on Crogsland Road in Chalk Farm
(borough of Camden), London, and was contemporary with David Miliband
and his brother, Ed Miliband
. It was at Haverstock that she first showed political ambition, telling her careers teacher she wanted to become Prime Minister
. Librarian work was suggested instead. She received a first class honours Bachelor of Arts
degree in Politics from the University of York
in 1990, and a scholarship to University of California, Berkeley
.
's Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, and worked as a political assistant to Glyn Ford
MEP
, the Labour Party Leader in the European Parliament
, and later Glenys Kinnock
MEP. From 1995-97, she was a political organiser for the GMB Southern Region.
She was selected to represent the seat of Bethnal Green and Bow early in 1997. Peter Shore
had announced his retirement early but faction fighting in the Constituency Labour Party
led to party headquarters delaying the selection and imposing its own shortlist; some leading competitors from the local Bangladeshi community were not included.
. She was selected as one of 100 Great Black Britons
. In her maiden speech, King described the racial abuse she and her family had suffered as a child. She referred to herself as "multi-ethnic", representing "a truly multicultural constituency where hardship and deprivation gave birth to Britain's greatest social reforms." She described William Beveridge
and Clement Attlee
, as "surrounded by an East End infant mortality rate of 55 per cent" and said this led to social reforms including the NHS
. She emphasised a need for coherence in the strategy for eradicating poverty and the role of education in its elimination.
Oona King was also a passionate advocate of international aid and human rights. She served on the international development select committee, and she served as the Vice-Chair of the All-Parliamentary Group on Bangledesh. She was selected to second the Queen's Speech debate in November 2002, where she also discussed her views on genocide and a trip to Rwanda.
She served as the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and the Minister for e-commerce.
King supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq
, which was controversial for the constituency's large Muslim population. This support was used against her in the election campaign of Respect's George Galloway
, a leader of the Stop the War Coalition
, who later defeated her in the 2005 general election
. This challenge was one of the media highlights of the election.
She subsequently changed her views, after viewing the poor handling of Hurricane Katrina
and its aftermath by the United States:
She however maintained that she does not regret voting for the war in Iraq, "I could never have voted against getting rid of Saddam Hussein. He was responsible for the deaths of one million people."
Both candidates were given police protection, King after her tyres were slashed and Galloway after a death threat.
King lost the seat by 823 votes, a 26.2% swing from King to Galloway. King said that whilst the war had been a major issue, false claims in the Bangladeshi press that she wanted to get rid of halal meat had played a part.
In 2008, Prime Minister
Gordon Brown
appointed her to act as his Senior Policy Adviser on Equalities and Diversity and Faith.
In January 2009 King was appointed head of diversity at Channel 4
.
She continues to live in Mile End, in a converted pub.
for the Labour nomination in the 2012 election
for Mayor of London
. King's first campaign speech, at Haverstock school, focused on "engagement with young people" as a way of reducing knife crime and helping them achieve their potential. In June 2010, she was shortlisted and in an interview with The Independent
emphasised both her experience of "pushing and pulling the levers of power" i.e. her experience of negotiating with top ministers and also her willingness to work with political opponents. Her opponent, Ken Livingstone
, accused her of using inappropriate methods of obtaining email addresses of Labour Party supporters; King denied the allegation. King had the backing of Neil Kinnock
, Ben Bradshaw
, and Alan Johnson
. On 24 September 2010, Livingstone won the nomination.
as Baroness King of Bow in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. She was introduced
in the House of Lords on 31 January 2011, where she sits on the Labour benches. King splits her time between working in Parliament and working as a freelance diversity officer at Channel 4. She continues to campaign on issues regarding the Congo, Rwanda and the Great Lakes Region of Africa.
Tiberio Santomarco whom she married in 1994, whilst working for an MEP in Brussels. The couple have two adopted children. She is fluent in Italian
and French
.
, The Daily Politics
, The All Star Talent Show
and Have I Got News For You
. She hosted a BBC documentary on Martin Luther King and the deep South entitled "American Prophet"
"Will the Foreign Secretary assure me that Britain will look at securing a UN resolution, forcing Israel back to its 1967 borders and, in the long term, securing a viable Palestinian state? Will he further assure me that if such a resolution faced an unreasonable veto by a Security Council member—for example, America—Britain would still take action outside the UN, if necessary, to secure justice for Palestinians?
Finally, I want to mention the extremely difficult situation facing Muslims in this country and in my constituency. Ever since the events of 11 September, Muslims have been under suspicion purely on account of their faith. Most Muslims and, indeed, most Asians have reported increased antagonism. That is because the war on terror means something different to everyone. It is spreading its tentacles in a confused and insidious manner. It has become a war on asylum seekers, refugees and, by extension, various ethnic minorities. At its most extreme and stupid, it has become a war on men with beards. It is disgraceful that it is being allowed to drift in that way, and I know that several Members agree.
Let us be clear what this should be about: it is about disarming rogue states with weapons of mass destruction and preventing a future scenario—not a past one—where terrorist networks get hold of weapons of mass destruction, such as anthrax and VX nerve gas, from a rogue states such as Iraq, and deploy them in another country such as Britain."
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
, and former Chief Diversity Officer of Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
. She previously had served as a Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Bethnal Green and Bow from 1997
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
until 2005
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
, when she was defeated by Respect
RESPECT The Unity Coalition
Respect is a socialist political party in England and Wales founded in 2004. Its name is a contrived acronym standing for Respect, Equality, Socialism, Peace, Environmentalism, Community and Trade Unionism.-Policies:...
candidate George Galloway
George Galloway
George Galloway is a British politician, author, journalist and broadcaster who was a Member of Parliament from 1987 to 2010. He was formerly an MP for the Labour Party, first for Glasgow Hillhead and later for Glasgow Kelvin, before his expulsion from the party in October 2003, the same year...
. She was the second black female MP elected to the House of Commons, after Diane Abbott
Diane Abbott
Diane Julie Abbott is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Hackney North and Stoke Newington since 1987, when she became the first black woman to be elected to the House of Commons...
.
Early life
King, who is of mixed race, was born in SheffieldSheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, South Yorkshire to a Jewish mother, social justice activist Murreil Hazel Sterns, and an African-American father, political theorist Preston King. She is the niece of the medical doctor Miriam Stoppard
Miriam Stoppard
Miriam Stoppard OBE , is a British doctor, author, television presenter and agony aunt.- Early life and medical career :...
(her mother's sister) and her playwright husband Tom Stoppard
Tom Stoppard
Sir Tom Stoppard OM, CBE, FRSL is a British playwright, knighted in 1997. He has written prolifically for TV, radio, film and stage, finding prominence with plays such as Arcadia, The Coast of Utopia, Every Good Boy Deserves Favour, Professional Foul, The Real Thing, and Rosencrantz and...
. Her cousin is the actor Ed Stoppard
Ed Stoppard
Edmund Stoppard , often credited as Ed Stoppard, is a British actor.-Life and career:Stoppard was born in London, United Kingdom, the son of playwright Tom Stoppard and physician/author Miriam Stoppard , through whom he is related to former MP Oona King...
. On her father's side, she comes from a line of civil rights activists and successful entrepreneurs. Her paternal grandfather, the civil rights activist, Clennon Washington King, Sr.
Clennon Washington King, Sr.
Clennon Washington King, Sr. , born in Daugherty County in Albany, Georgia to Allen James King and Annie Bowers King, was a civil rights activist, Tuskeegee Institute student and chauffeur of Booker T. Washington...
fathered seven sons.
King was educated at Haverstock Comprehensive Secondary School on Crogsland Road in Chalk Farm
Chalk Farm
Chalk Farm is an area of north London, England. It lies directly to the north of Camden Town and its underground station is the closest tube station to the nearby, upmarket neighbourhood of Primrose Hill....
(borough of Camden), London, and was contemporary with David Miliband
David Miliband
David Wright Miliband is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for South Shields since 2001, and was the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from 2007 to 2010. He is the elder son of the late Marxist theorist Ralph Miliband...
and his brother, Ed Miliband
Ed Miliband
Edward Samuel Miliband is a British Labour Party politician, currently the Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition...
. It was at Haverstock that she first showed political ambition, telling her careers teacher she wanted to become Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
. Librarian work was suggested instead. She received a first class honours Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in Politics from the University of York
University of York
The University of York , is an academic institution located in the city of York, England. Established in 1963, the campus university has expanded to more than thirty departments and centres, covering a wide range of subjects...
in 1990, and a scholarship to University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
.
Political career
Before becoming an MP, King was on the European ParliamentEuropean Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
's Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, and worked as a political assistant to Glyn Ford
Glyn Ford
Glyn Ford was a member of the European Parliament initially for Greater Manchester East, until 1999 and then South West England for the Labour Party and Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party....
MEP
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
, the Labour Party Leader in the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
, and later Glenys Kinnock
Glenys Kinnock
Glenys Elizabeth Kinnock, Baroness Kinnock and Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead is a British politician....
MEP. From 1995-97, she was a political organiser for the GMB Southern Region.
She was selected to represent the seat of Bethnal Green and Bow early in 1997. Peter Shore
Peter Shore
Peter David Shore, Baron Shore of Stepney PC was a British Labour politician and former Cabinet Minister, noted in part for his opposition to the United Kingdom's entry into the European Economic Community. His idiosyncratic left-wing nationalism led to comparison with the French politician...
had announced his retirement early but faction fighting in the Constituency Labour Party
Constituency Labour Party
A Constituency Labour Party is an organisation of members of the British Labour Party who live in a particular UK parliamentary constituency in England, Scotland and Wales. The Labour Party in Northern Ireland has, since February 2009, been organised as a province-wide Constituency Labour Party...
led to party headquarters delaying the selection and imposing its own shortlist; some leading competitors from the local Bangladeshi community were not included.
Parliamentary career
By winning the seat in 1997, King became only the second black woman to be elected as Member of Parliament, the first being Diane AbbottDiane Abbott
Diane Julie Abbott is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Hackney North and Stoke Newington since 1987, when she became the first black woman to be elected to the House of Commons...
. She was selected as one of 100 Great Black Britons
100 Great Black Britons
The 100 Great Black Britons list was compiled as a response to the BBC's 100 Greatest Britons debate of .Patrick Vernon, founder of black heritage website Every Generation, pointed out that no black people had made it to the top 100, saying that this was due in part to many people being unaware of...
. In her maiden speech, King described the racial abuse she and her family had suffered as a child. She referred to herself as "multi-ethnic", representing "a truly multicultural constituency where hardship and deprivation gave birth to Britain's greatest social reforms." She described William Beveridge
William Beveridge
William Henry Beveridge, 1st Baron Beveridge KCB was a British economist and social reformer. He is best known for his 1942 report Social Insurance and Allied Services which served as the basis for the post-World War II welfare state put in place by the Labour government elected in 1945.Lord...
and Clement Attlee
Clement Attlee
Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH, PC, FRS was a British Labour politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951, and as the Leader of the Labour Party from 1935 to 1955...
, as "surrounded by an East End infant mortality rate of 55 per cent" and said this led to social reforms including the NHS
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
. She emphasised a need for coherence in the strategy for eradicating poverty and the role of education in its elimination.
Oona King was also a passionate advocate of international aid and human rights. She served on the international development select committee, and she served as the Vice-Chair of the All-Parliamentary Group on Bangledesh. She was selected to second the Queen's Speech debate in November 2002, where she also discussed her views on genocide and a trip to Rwanda.
She served as the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and the Minister for e-commerce.
King supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
, which was controversial for the constituency's large Muslim population. This support was used against her in the election campaign of Respect's George Galloway
George Galloway
George Galloway is a British politician, author, journalist and broadcaster who was a Member of Parliament from 1987 to 2010. He was formerly an MP for the Labour Party, first for Glasgow Hillhead and later for Glasgow Kelvin, before his expulsion from the party in October 2003, the same year...
, a leader 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....
, who later defeated her in the 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
. This challenge was one of the media highlights of the election.
She subsequently changed her views, after viewing the poor handling of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
and its aftermath by the United States:
it shows that America has no grasp whatever on the activity needed to rebuild a destroyed city. And if they can't do that in their own country, then it's obvious why they can't do it in Iraq. So ... I regret that we went to war with a country that has shown itself to be incapable of the very basic actions required to deal with post-conflict reconstruction.
She however maintained that she does not regret voting for the war in Iraq, "I could never have voted against getting rid of Saddam Hussein. He was responsible for the deaths of one million people."
2005 general election
Bethnal Green and Bow with its almost 45,000 Muslims was Galloway's best chance to defeat Labour in what became a "bitter single issue campaign." King described the contest as "one of the dirtiest ..we have ever seen in British politics" and complained of "quite disturbing" anti-semitic racial abuse. She was the putative target of vegetable and egg throwers during a memorial service commemorating the second world war bombing of a block of flats with predominantly Jewish victims. King claimed it was deliberate part of Respect's campaign, but Galloway's campaigners denied racial abuse accusing the Government of a "war on Muslims". Galloway criticised Labour for a postal vote strategy that was "close to illegal if not illegal" and Tower Hamlets council electoral office for publishing an electoral roll "so shot through with errors and anomalies... as to be almost meaningless."Both candidates were given police protection, King after her tyres were slashed and Galloway after a death threat.
King lost the seat by 823 votes, a 26.2% swing from King to Galloway. King said that whilst the war had been a major issue, false claims in the Bangladeshi press that she wanted to get rid of halal meat had played a part.
2005–2009
King continues to reside in Bethnal Green within her former constituency. She even ran an office for constituents funded from the GMB trade union, attempting to act as an unofficial MP. In 2007, King published her autobiography The Oona King Diaries: House Music.In 2008, Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
appointed her to act as his Senior Policy Adviser on Equalities and Diversity and Faith.
In January 2009 King was appointed head of diversity at Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
.
She continues to live in Mile End, in a converted pub.
2010 London mayoral campaign
In 2010, King unsuccessfully challenged Ken LivingstoneKen Livingstone
Kenneth Robert "Ken" Livingstone is an English politician who is currently a member of the centrist to centre-left Labour Party...
for the Labour nomination in the 2012 election
London mayoral election, 2012
The 2012 London mayoral election will be held on Thursday 3 May 2012 to elect the Mayor of London. It will be the fourth such election since the post of Mayor of London was started in 2000...
for Mayor of London
Mayor of London
The Mayor of London is an elected politician who, along with the London Assembly of 25 members, is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London. Conservative Boris Johnson has held the position since 4 May 2008...
. King's first campaign speech, at Haverstock school, focused on "engagement with young people" as a way of reducing knife crime and helping them achieve their potential. In June 2010, she was shortlisted and in an interview with 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...
emphasised both her experience of "pushing and pulling the levers of power" i.e. her experience of negotiating with top ministers and also her willingness to work with political opponents. Her opponent, Ken Livingstone
Ken Livingstone
Kenneth Robert "Ken" Livingstone is an English politician who is currently a member of the centrist to centre-left Labour Party...
, accused her of using inappropriate methods of obtaining email addresses of Labour Party supporters; King denied the allegation. King had the backing of Neil Kinnock
Neil Kinnock
Neil Gordon Kinnock, Baron Kinnock is a Welsh politician belonging to the Labour Party. He served as a Member of Parliament from 1970 until 1995 and as Labour Leader and Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition from 1983 until 1992 - his leadership of the party during nearly nine years making him...
, Ben Bradshaw
Ben Bradshaw
Benjamin Peter James Bradshaw is a British Labour politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Exeter since 1997, and served in the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport....
, and Alan Johnson
Alan Johnson
Alan Arthur Johnson is a British Labour Party politician who served as Home Secretary from June 2009 to May 2010. Before that, he filled a wide variety of cabinet positions in both the Blair and Brown governments, including Health Secretary and Education Secretary. Until 20 January 2011 he was...
. On 24 September 2010, Livingstone won the nomination.
Peerage
On 26 January 2011, King was created a life peerLife peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
as Baroness King of Bow in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. She was introduced
Introduction (House of Lords)
Introduction is a ceremony in the House of Lords whereby new members are "introduced" to the existing membership. Introductions in the Lords are more elaborate than those in the House of Commons.-Origins:...
in the House of Lords on 31 January 2011, where she sits on the Labour benches. King splits her time between working in Parliament and working as a freelance diversity officer at Channel 4. She continues to campaign on issues regarding the Congo, Rwanda and the Great Lakes Region of Africa.
Personal life
King is married to ItalianItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Tiberio Santomarco whom she married in 1994, whilst working for an MEP in Brussels. The couple have two adopted children. She is fluent in Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
.
Media work
King has made appearances on television shows such as This WeekThis Week (BBC One TV series)
This Week is a current affairs and politics TV programme in the United Kingdom on the BBC, screened on Thursday evenings, hosted by former Sunday Times editor Andrew Neil alongside former Conservative Member of Parliament and Minister Michael Portillo, and a left leaning guest panellist on...
, The Daily Politics
The Daily Politics
The Daily Politics is a British television show launched by the BBC in 2003. Presented by Andrew Neil and Jo Coburn, the programme takes an in-depth and sometimes irreverent look at the daily goings on in Westminster and other areas across Britain and the world, and includes interviews with leading...
, The All Star Talent Show
The All Star Talent Show
The All Star Talent Show is a 2006, television programme which aires on Five. It is presented by Andi Peters and Myleene Klass, with Julian Clary making up the judging panel alongside 2 guest judges. Each 6 celebrities perform with the winner at the end of each episode going into the final at the...
and 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...
. She hosted a BBC documentary on Martin Luther King and the deep South entitled "American Prophet"
Quotations
- February 2003, Iraq debate in Parliament of the United KingdomParliament of the United KingdomThe Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
:
"Will the Foreign Secretary assure me that Britain will look at securing a UN resolution, forcing Israel back to its 1967 borders and, in the long term, securing a viable Palestinian state? Will he further assure me that if such a resolution faced an unreasonable veto by a Security Council member—for example, America—Britain would still take action outside the UN, if necessary, to secure justice for Palestinians?
Finally, I want to mention the extremely difficult situation facing Muslims in this country and in my constituency. Ever since the events of 11 September, Muslims have been under suspicion purely on account of their faith. Most Muslims and, indeed, most Asians have reported increased antagonism. That is because the war on terror means something different to everyone. It is spreading its tentacles in a confused and insidious manner. It has become a war on asylum seekers, refugees and, by extension, various ethnic minorities. At its most extreme and stupid, it has become a war on men with beards. It is disgraceful that it is being allowed to drift in that way, and I know that several Members agree.
Let us be clear what this should be about: it is about disarming rogue states with weapons of mass destruction and preventing a future scenario—not a past one—where terrorist networks get hold of weapons of mass destruction, such as anthrax and VX nerve gas, from a rogue states such as Iraq, and deploy them in another country such as Britain."
- April 2006, essay for the BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
programme This Week:"Multiculturalism hasn't failed; it's a statement of fact. We live together, side by side in this country very well, and far better than most. But to neglect any community is a recipe for disaster. To ensure that disaster doesn't come in the shape of the BNP, then politicians must wake up to the concerns of the white working class. Fast."
External links
- Oona King Official site [offline February 2011]
- Ask Aristotle - Oona King The Guardian Politics
- Oona King MP TheyWorkForYou.com
- Oona King BBC News, 21 April 2006 - Essay for BBC One's This Week
- Oona King 100 Great Black Britons
- Oona King Israel can halt this now The Guardian, 12 June 2003
- Shock win for Galloway in London BBC News, 6 May 2005
- Post election Oona King interview, audio, Today, BBC Radio 4, 11 May 2005
- The Exile And His Daughter - Preston King, scholar, author, draft evader, 40 years in waiting for a pardon, Essence Magazine, February 2001
- Q: Did anti-semitism cost you the election? A: Definitely. There was Iraq, of course, but it was particularly being Jewish, Emma Brockes talks to former Labour MP Oona King, The Guardian, 12 September 2005