Baroness Jenkin enjoys Jess Phillips’ latest book about life as an MP
Covering pretty much all the elements of an MP’s life, anyone considering a move into politics will find Jess Phillips new book an easy and illuminating read My Life as an MP
Ilike Jess Phillips. She is fun to be with and, as she makes clear in this latest book, has a broadly collaborative approach – a #MoreInCommon attitude which I, and much of the public, like – but many in both main parties don’t. It is through working together that the Domestic Abuse Act (as it now finally is) made its way on to the statute book. Although the implication is made that she amended the Bill pretty much single handed, it was a joint effort.
I haven’t read any of her previous books, but Everything You Really Need to know About Politics, designed to “demystify the places and practice of politics”, does what it says on the tin and is an easy read. Although, call me old fashioned, I do find the very sweary approach rather unappealing and doesn’t add anything to the content.
The book pretty much covers all the elements of an MP’s life and, although there are differences between the parties, between different constituencies and of course different approaches to the job, it is a clear and recognisable description of what it is to be an MP. I nearly put an MP’s “job”, but it isn’t quite like that, as the book makes clear. Whichever party you support, anyone considering a move into politics will find it illuminating. I saw an online comment that “the insights into apolitics are limited”, but that isn’t the intended point of the book.
The main party-political difference I could see is the way in which candidates are selected. Jess basically got a tap on the shoulder and that was it. The journey onto the Conservative candidates’ list is far more rigorous, with a high quality threshold.
Jess is clear about how politics appeals most to risk takers, something she addresses close to the beginning of the book, and I think this is one of the reasons why we have far fewer women coming forward to start their journey. Women don’t like risks. Men do. As she says, “I have seen some of the stupidest risks taken by politicians because they obviously just liked the thrill of a possible public shaming”. I have seen that too. Why do our party members selecting candidates not see it as well?
I started working in the House of Commons in 1975 and am married to someone who has been an MP since 1992, so I have seen many changes. When I started there, I worked for three MPs at a time as their only member of staff. Incredible to imagine that today, as this book brought home very vividly.
Like many women, I suspect, I admire her for losing three stone during lockdown, for her gutsy approach to politics but above all I admire her for surviving, and even thriving in the toxic environment that elected life has become, most especially in the current Labour Party – which has become far less welcoming to women than it once was. I wish her well.
“The journey onto the Conservative candidates’ list is far more rigorous”