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Pit Banks to Red Benches

From the Black Country to the Lords

Jenny Tonge

$30.95   $27.71

Paperback

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English
Louisa Publications
01 September 2021
This book describes Jenny Tonge's journey from the pit banks and smoke of the Black Country in the post-war years, as a doctor working for thirty years in the NHS before she entered the House of Commons as MP for Richmond Park and became Spokesperson for International Development for the Liberal Democrats. In that role, she visited war zones in the Middle East, natural disasters in Africa and the Caribbean, and after a family tragedy, she went to the red leather benches of the House of Lords.

As the story unfolds, Jenny discovers the issues that she cares deeply about, remembering all those influences on her life that led her to her ultimate goals: fighting for women's reproductive rights in developing countries; and defending human rights worldwide, most famously (and controversially) in Palestine.

Be warned. It is not a standard political memoir or autobiography.

'From the Pit Banks to the Red Benches' features a foreword by Lord David Steel, the last leader of the Liberal Party before it merged with the Social Democrats.
By:  
Imprint:   Louisa Publications
Country of Publication:   United Kingdom
Dimensions:   Height: 229mm,  Width: 152mm, 
ISBN:   9781919630809
ISBN 10:   1919630805
Pages:   262
Publication Date:  
Audience:   General/trade ,  ELT Advanced
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active

Jenny graduated as a medical doctor from University College London in 1964. Subsequently, she worked for over 30 years in the NHS, her speciality being sexual and reproductive health and women's health care. After eight years as a local councillor in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, she was elected to parliament in 1997 as MP for Richmond Park. She stood down from the House of Commons in 2004 after her daughter was killed in an electrical accident, leaving two small boys. The following year, she was offered a life peerage in recognition of her work as the Lib Dem Shadow Secretary of State for International Development and entered the House of Lords as Baroness Tonge of Kew. She continued her interest in international development in the Lords, in parallel with women's health in developing countries. As Chair of the all-party group for Population Development and Reproductive Health, she put pressure on the Department for International Development to make family planning a top priority, which it became. She first became interested in the Palestine/Israel issue during a visit to Israel and the occupied territories of Palestine (including Gaza) in 2003, which she described as 'a life-changing experience'. Since then, she has been an outspoken and controversial figure for her continuing support of the Palestinian people and her frank criticism of the Israeli government.

Reviews for Pit Banks to Red Benches: From the Black Country to the Lords

'Your book is a wonderful summary of an inquiring and dedicated life, from which we have all benefited' Jeremy Corbyn 'A first-rate political memoir and much more entertaining than most!! The women's stuff, much of it horrifying, is genuinely informative' Tom Suarez 'The energy and urgency of this story kept me reading with interest, admiration and at times a sense of exhaustion from the relentless pressure of Jenny's public life! Her hard work and determination to do what is right - even when it leads to personal criticism, rejection and attacks in the media - are an inspiration to all those who share her values, both here and around the world' Lady Judith English 'An unputdownable autobiography - Jenny has spent a lifetime courageously fighting oppression. Her tireless support of the Palestinians, and championing of women's issues, surely put her at the forefront of the great humanitarians of our time' Thomas Eisner


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