PoliticsUK Interview with Kate Green MP

Kate Green OBE, Labour MP for Stretford and Urmston

Kate Green OBE has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Stretford and Urmston since 2010. Born in Edinburgh, she attended Currie High School then graduated from Edinburgh University with a Bachelor of Laws degree.
After University Green began a career at Barclays Bank, working for them until to 1997. From 1997 to 1999 she worked as a Whitehall and Industry Group secondee to the Home Office.

Kate Green was employed as Director of the National Council for One Parent Families between 2000 and 2004, then working as Chief Executive of the Child Poverty Action Group until 2009. Alongside this, Green also served as a member of the London Child Poverty Commission, eventually serving as the commissioner chairing the body. Green also served as a magistrate in the City of London between 1993 and 2009.Politics UK asked its users to submit questions to be put to Kate Green, here are her answers






What age did you become interested in politics and what perked your interest in getting involved in politics?

Mrs Thatcher economic policies
were the catalyst for Kate Green's
entry into politics

I first became involved in politics as a young woman, starting out my working life at the beginning of the 1980’s .
I was horrified at the impact of Mrs Thatcher’s economic policies on jobs, communities and families. My generation were worried we’d never get jobs , whole industries were being destroyed, and young people were sleeping on the streets.
I was shocked, angry and frightened for the future – and that’s what drove me into politics.




Why did you join the Labour Party?
Labour’s the party that’s always campaigned for equality, social justice, and an end to poverty. Those are the values I want to fight for and I believe you can do that most effectively in a political party.


Why did you forego a successful career in the financial sector for a career in politics that has no long term job security?


I don’t know what makes you think I had “a successful career in the financial sector”! I did work for a high street bank for a number of years after university, but I wasn’t very good at it, I didn’t enjoy it much, and by the time I entered parliament I’d spent well over a decade doing jobs in the civil service and in campaigning charities. I did love those jobs, but in the end I felt if I really wanted to make a difference , the most important place to be was in parliament.

Kate was a director of Gingerbread(formerly the National Council of
One Parent Families) between 2000 and 2004.

You were a director on the National Council of One Parent Families. Could you tell us more about your role you played and what achievement the National Council of One Parent Families achieved during your employment?


I was director of One Parent Families (now merged with and known as Gingerbread) from 2000-2004, a very exciting time to do that job, as the Labour government were engaged in a whole range of polices to improve the position of lone parents, from the new deal for lone parents that helped them into employment, to reforming child support , to introducing a national childcare strategy. It was great to be able to have influence on the development of those policies – and to force the Tory party to recognise that most lone parents never set out to be on their own, they want to work and do their best for their kids, and to declare their party’s “war on lone parents was over”.


Your were Chief Executive of the Child Poverty Action Group from 2004-2009, Can you tell us more about the Child Poverty Action Group and your role when you were employed with them.

CPAG - "one of the most important
campaigning and lobbying
organisations in the UK"

CPAG has been described as one of the most important campaigning and lobbying organisations in the UK – and I was privileged to work with some of the most knowledgeable thinkers and experts on poverty, social security and social policy as its chief executive. I’m particularly proud of the manifesto we produced on the policies needed to create a society free of child poverty, and our work on the importance of universal child benefit. CPAG was a founder member and at the heart of the End Child Poverty campaign, a coalition of over 100 organisations holding the government to its promise to halve then eradicate child poverty and working on the policies that could help achieve this.


Can you give us your opinion on unpaid internships?


Unpaid internships privilege the better-off and the well-connected. That’s why I’m opposed to them.


EMA- Do you support the restoration on EMA and why?


The EMA made an enormous difference to young people from poorer backgrounds in my constituency and across the country, and it’s a tragedy that the Tory-led government has abolished it. Young people now tell me they can’t contemplate staying on at college, and its removal had a really harmful effect on their ambitions and aspirations. It helped pay for books and materials, travel to school and getting your lunch - as one young woman in my constituency said to me , “it’s not a luxury, it’s a necessity”

"The Governments policies are deterring young
people from modest backgrounds from applying to university"

What is you view on University tuitions fees?


As with EMA, the government’s policies are deterring young people from modest backgrounds from applying to university. They’re worried about how on earth they can take on a debt of £9000 a year. That’s why Labour has committed to reducing the fees to £6000, and why I support calls for a review of student funding and whether a graduate tax would be a fairer form of repayment.


Why is there so few youths involved and engaged in politics?


You shouldn’t ask me –ask young people – I suspect it’s because politics don’t feel relevant to them or they don’t like the style of political behaviour. But it’s very important that we find a way to engage young people in politics, to learn their views and priorities, and respond to their concerns – we can’t build a fairer, more prosperous country if we’re not meeting the needs and addressing the concerns of the next generation.


Should the voting age be reduced to 16 and would this help in getting youths engaged with politics?


I support a reduction in the voting age to 16, alongside better political and citizenship education. Young people are making a big contribution to society, and we expect a lot of them, so they’re entitled to have their say in the political process and decisions that affect them . And we know that mid-teens is a good age to interest young people in politics and establish a habit of voting and political participation.


Do you believe that there is a literacy problem in the UK and if so, how can we combat it?

Literacy improved under Labour
with the help of projects such a Every Child a Reader

Reading and writing standards improved significantly under Labour, thanks to our programmes like Every Child a Reader and literacy hours, but there’s a need to do more to ensure no child leaves school unable to read and write to a level that enables them fully to function in society. Intensive one to one support is important, as is helping parents to read with their children, and ensuring all families have access to books.


How can we help youths reach their potential?


The education system’s key, as is ensuring that parents have the support they need to provide for and support their children.


Who is your inspiration, both inside and outside of politics?


I’m inspired by the people in my constituency who form a strong, supportive, diverse and welcoming community.


Do you support a North-East Assembly?


Well, I’m an MP in the North West not the North East, so I don’t think my opinion’s very relevant!


You were selected to stand using an all-women shortlist. How would you answer the criticism that all-women shortlist are not good for democracy?


AWS were in my view essential to significantly increasing the level of women’s representation in parliament, not just in the Labour party, but setting the bar for the other parties. That’s hugely important : we must have a diverse parliament, representative of the country as a whole. It strengthens democracy and ensures our policies properly reflect society's needs and priorities. It was having more women in parliament that forced issues like childcare and stronger maternity rights onto the political agenda – now they’re seen as mainstream but without women there I don’t believe that would have happened.

Kate, alongside Anne McGuire, are developing
policies that will reduce inequality.

 In October 2011 you were promoted to shadow the Ministry of State for Equality. Can you tell us what that job entails?


Ed Miliband has talked of the priority he attaches to reducing inequality in this country, and my job is to help develop and advocate the policies that can help to achieve that – whether it’s as a member of our women’s safety commission, helping to develop policies on childcare, working with my colleague Anne McGuire on strengthening rights for disabled people, supporting calls for gay and lesbian people to marry, campaigning for fair employment opportunities for people from ethnic minority backgrounds – there’s so much to get my teeth into.


Is the UK equal for all?


No, we have a long, long way to go. It can’t be right that so much power and wealth is concentrated in the hands of only a small minority.


You have close ties to unions, where do you stand on the prospect of future industrial actions over the pension dispute?


Noone wants to see industrial action, and both sides need to keep talking. I’m pleased there’s been progress in negotiations on a number of the public sector pension schemes, but I understand how worried low paid workers feel at the increasing cost of their pension contributions, and I’m very worried this will cause many to stop saving for a pension altogether because they can't afford it , leaving them struggling in retirement.


Finally, have you any advice for those who are hoping to become Politicians?


You need to be very determined, very energetic, very committed to what you believe in – and very lucky


PoliticsUK would like to thank Kate Green for this interview.

Kate Green's Website: http://www.kategreen.org