Kate Osamor Explained

Kate Osamor
Office:Shadow Secretary of State for International Development
Leader:Jeremy Corbyn
Term Start:27 June 2016
Term End:1 December 2018
Predecessor:Diane Abbott
Successor:Dan Carden
Office1:Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities
Leader1:Jeremy Corbyn
Term Start1:14 January 2016
Term End1:27 June 2016
Predecessor1:Position established
Successor1:Carolyn Harris
Office2:Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition
Alongside2:Steve Rotheram
Term Start2:12 September 2015
Term End2:14 January 2016
Leader2:Jeremy Corbyn
Predecessor2:Karen Buck
Wayne David
Successor2:Position abolished
Office3:Member of Parliament
for Edmonton and Winchmore Hill
Term Start3:7 May 2015
Predecessor3:Andy Love
Majority3:12,632 (30.8%)
Birth Name:Ofunne Kate Osamor
Birth Date:15 August 1968
Birth Place:London, England, UK
Party:Labour Co-operative
Partner:Kim Udi (separated)
Children:1
Parents:Martha Osamor (mother)
Education:New City College
University of East London (BA)

Ofunne Kate Osamor (;[1] born 15 August 1968)[2] is a British Labour and Co-operative politician who has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Edmonton and Winchmore Hill, previously Edmonton, since 2015. She was Shadow Secretary of State for International Development from 2016 to 2018. She is a member of the Socialist Campaign Group parliamentary caucus.[3]

Early life and career

Ofunne Kate Osamor was born on 15 August 1968 in North London and grew up in Haringey.[4] [5] She was one of four children; her father died when she was a child and her mother, politician Martha Osamor, had to work "three, sometimes four jobs".[6] [7]

Osamor was educated at Creighton Comprehensive School in Muswell Hill from 1979 to 1983. She completed an access course at Hackney College from 2003 to 2006, and subsequently read Third World Studies at the University of East London. Osamor was diagnosed with dyslexia at university, to which she attributes some of her difficulties at school.[8]

She worked for The Big Issue newspaper after graduating,[9] but principally worked in the NHS and been active in Unite the Union.[10] Osamor was an executive assistant in a general practitioner (GP) out of hours service for 9 years and a GP practice manager for 2 years.

In 2014, Osamor was elected a member of the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party.

Political career

1st parliament (2015-2017)

At the 2015 general election, Osamor was elected to Parliament as MP for Edmonton with 61.4% of the vote and a majority of 15,419.[11]

Osamor was one of 36 Labour MPs to nominate Jeremy Corbyn as a candidate in the Labour leadership election of 2015.[12] She was appointed as a Parliamentary Private Secretary to Corbyn in September 2015.[13]

On 14 January 2016, Osamor was appointed to the Opposition frontbench as Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities.[14]

Also in January 2016, Osamor was accused of hypocrisy for advertising an unpaid internship which paid expenses only. Osamor subsequently withdrew the advert, claiming it had been a "misunderstanding".[15] [16]

On 27 June 2016, after the resignations of numerous members of Labour's ministerial team due to disquiet over the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn, Osamor was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for International Development.[17]

Osamor has served as the chair for the All Party Parliamentary Group for Nigeria since 2015.[18]

2nd term (2017-2019)

At the snap 2017 general election, Osamor was re-elected as MP for Edmonton with an increased vote share of 71.5% and an increased majority of 21,115.[19] [20] After her re-election, she was accused of plagiarising sections of her victory address from Barack Obama's 2008 speech.[21] According to Osamor, she "deliberately invoked a victory speech so famous that she thought it needed no introduction".[22]

In her role as Shadow International Development Secretary, Osamor in December 2018 advocated an increase in aid funding for women's groups, and argued that international aid should be targeted towards schemes which aimed to reduce inequality, as well as schemes aimed at poverty reduction.[23] [24]

On 29 August 2019, she warned that the monarchy could be abolished, following Queen Elizabeth II approving Prime Minister Boris Johnson's plan to suspend Parliament.[25]

Parliamentary standards investigation

In October 2018, it was revealed that Osamor continued to employ her son, Ishmael, in her Parliamentary office despite his drug-related convictions.[26] The Labour Party initially claimed that Osamor, who also lives with her son, knew nothing about his case until sentencing on 26 October. However, it later emerged that she had written to the trial judge asking for leniency before his sentencing on 19 October.[27] She faced further criticism when it was revealed that she used parliamentary stationery and referenced her shadow cabinet position in writing to the judge.[28]

Upon being doorstepped by reporter from The Times about the issue, Osamor threw a bucket of water, shouted profanities, and said "I should have come down here with a...bat and smashed your face open".[29] [30] [31] [32] Osamor was first referred to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards in November 2018, by a Conservative MP, and the investigation was expanded following the incident with the journalist.[33] She denied any wrongdoing, and called the initial referral "politically motivated".

Osamor resigned from the Shadow Cabinet on 1 December 2018,[34] stating she needed "to concentrate on supporting my family through the difficult time we have been experiencing".[35] She later tweeted that she was "deeply sorry for (her) emotional outbursts and ... working to better manage (her) feelings".[36]

On 19 March 2020, the Standards Commissioner found Osamor guilty of two breaches of Parliamentary rules.[37] The first breach was the use of House of Commons paper for her son's reference, and the second was the abusing and assaulting the journalist. She was ordered to produce a written apology for her actions.[38] Osamor accepted that she broke the rules and apologised to the Commissioner, although she later commented that she was "the target of a witch-hunt, and that race and class were factors".[39]

Ishmael remains Chief of Staff in his mother’s parliamentary office.[40] [41] A ban on MPs employing family members and other ‘Connected Parties’ came in to effect after the 2020 general election, however it was not applied to existing employees.[42]

3rd term (2019-2024)

In October 2019, local party members voted for Osamor to face a re-selection contest to stand at the next general election.[43] However, the contest was scrapped when the 2019 general election was called.[44] At the general election, Osamor was again re-elected, with a decreased vote share of 65% and a decreased majority of 16,015.[45] [46]

In January 2022, Osamor and four other Labour delegates to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe tabled ten amendments to a resolution on "Combating rising hate against LGBTI people".[47] The amendments sought to include the word "sex" alongside gender identity, de-conflate the situation in the UK from Hungary, Poland, Russia and Turkey, and remove references to alleged anti-LGBTI movements in the UK. The delegates received both praise and criticism.[48] [49]

On 28 January 2024, Osamor had the Labour Party parliamentary whip withdrawn pending an investigation into comments she made about Holocaust Memorial Day in her weekly newsletter. She wrote that there was an "international duty" to remember the victims of the Holocaust and that "more recent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and now Gaza" should also be remembered.[50] [51] On 8 May 2024, the Labour whip was restored to her.[52]

4th term (2024-)

Due to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, Osamor's constituency of Edmonton was abolished, and replaced with Edmonton and Winchmore Hill. At the 2024 general election, Osamor was elected to Parliament as MP for Edmonton and Winchmore Hill with 50% of the vote and a majority of 12,632.[53]

Personal life

She had a son in 1989, Ishmael Osamor (born Ishmael Udi), with her then partner Kim Udi. Ishmael served as a Councillor and Cabinet Member on Haringey Council. He resigned from his position at Haringey Council after his criminal conviction in 2018.[54]

Her mother, Martha, is a Labour activist and politician who served as a Councillor and Deputy Leader of Haringey Council.[55] She was appointed to the House of Lords in 2018, on the recommendation of Jeremy Corbyn.[56]

Notes and References

  1. Osamor . Kate . 2016 . Kate Osamor MP - EU Referendum #Remain . 21 December 2018 . YouTube.
    Osamor . Kate . 2017 . Alumna Kate Osamor MP talks about how UEL shaped her life . 21 December 2018 . YouTube.
  2. Web site: Kate Osamor . Politics.co.uk . 3 December 2018.
  3. Web site: Quinn . Chay . Labour MP has whip suspended for controversial Gaza tweet about Holocaust Memorial Day . LBC . 30 January 2024 . en . 29 January 2024.
  4. Book: Carr, Tim . The Politicos Guide to the New House of Commons 2015: Profiles of the New MPs and Analysis of the 2015 General Election Results . 18 May 2015 . Biteback Publishing . 9781849549240 . Google Books.
  5. Web site: Kate Osamor . politics.co.uk.
  6. Book: The Politicos Guide to the New House of Commons 2015 . 18 May 2015 . . 9781849549240 . Carr . Tim . Dale . Iain . Iain Dale . Waller . Robert . Robert Waller (pundit).
  7. News: Segalov . Michael . 23 January 2016 . Labour MP Kate Osamor On Women, Race And Politics . . 4 December 2018.
  8. Web site: Kate Osamor MP: my pride at being a UEL graduate . 4 December 2018 . UEL.
  9. Web site: About – Kate Osamor . 22 July 2015 . Kate Osamor.
  10. News: Cowburn . Ashley . 12 March 2015 . 'Who is this black woman?': Kate Osamor on her path to parliament . . 22 July 2015.
  11. Web site: Election Data 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151017112223/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt . 17 October 2015 . 17 October 2015 . Electoral Calculus.
  12. News: Who nominated who for the 2015 Labour leadership election? . New Statesman . 15 June 2015 . 14 September 2015.
  13. Web site: About Me - Kate Osamor MP . Kate Osamor . 2 December 2018.
  14. News: Casalicchio . Emilio . 14 January 2016 . New Labour appointments as Corbyn reshuffle enters eleventh day . PoliticsHome . . 19 July 2016.
  15. Web site: Labour shadow equalities minister Kate Osamor accused of hypocrisy for unpaid intern ad. 19 January 2016. International Business Times UK.
  16. News: Labour MP's unpaid intern 'mistake'. Brian. Wheeler. BBC News. 19 January 2016.
  17. News: Asthana . Anushka . Anushka Asthana . Elgot . Jessica . Stewart . Heather . Heather Stewart . 27 June 2016 . Jeremy Corbyn preparing for leadership contest . . 14 September 2016.
  18. Web site: Register of All Party Parliamentary Groups: Nigeria . Parliament UK . 2 December 2018.
  19. News: Edmonton parliamentary constituency . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20150508044953/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000687 . 2015-05-08 . BBC News.
  20. Web site: Archived copy . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180225205506/http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7979/CBP-7979.pdf . 2018-02-25 . 2018-02-25.
  21. Web site: 2020-02-25 . WATCH Labour frontbencher Kate Osamor plagiarises acceptance speech from Barack Obama . 2022-04-05 . Politics Home . en.
  22. News: Buchan. Lizzy . Labour frontbencher ridiculed for copying Barack Obama's acceptance speech . The Independent. 18 May 2018 . 25 May 2018.
  23. News: McVeigh . Karen . Labour pledges to put women at heart of British aid efforts . 2 December 2018 . Guardian.
  24. Web site: Osamor . Kate . A World for the Many Not the Few . 2 December 2018 . Labour Policy Forum.
  25. Web site: Labour MP says 'monarchy could be abolished' after Queen approves PM's plan to prorogue Parliament. PoliticsHome.com. 29 August 2019. PoliticsHome.com. en. 30 August 2019.
  26. News: Kate . Devlin . Labour MP Kate Osamor still employs her drug dealer son Ishmael . 31 October 2018 . The Times . 31 October 2018.
  27. News: O'Neil . Sean . Devlin . Kate . Humphries . Will . December 2018 . Kate Osamor: Top Labour MP 'misled public' over son's drugs arrest . . 3 December 2018.
  28. News: Proctor . Kate . 22 January 2019 . Kate Osamor facing fresh controversy as secrecy rules mean Commons will not say if Labour MP is being probed . . 20 April 2019.
  29. Web site: Shadow Labour minister allegedly threatens journalist with bat . James . Booth . 1 December 2018 . The Times.
  30. Web site: Labour's Kate Osamor accused of 'misleading public' over son's conviction for drug offences . 1 December 2018 . PoliticsHome.com.
  31. News: Labour MP Kate Osamor dialled 999 after questions over drugs case . Sean . O’Neill . Esther . Webber . Harry . Shukman . 4 December 2018 . The Times .
  32. Web site: Kate Osamor: Labour MP resigns amid row over son's drug conviction . Nadeem . Badshah . 1 December 2018 . The Guardian . 1 December 2018.
  33. News: Kate Osamor referred to watchdog over son's drug conviction . BBC News. 5 November 2018 . 1 December 2018.
  34. News: Kate Osamor resigns as Shadow Minister . BBC News . 1 December 2018.
  35. Web site: Labour frontbencher Kate Osamor resigns amid storm over son's drug conviction . McShane . Asher . Rose . Eleanor . 1 December 2018 . Evening Standard.
  36. Web site: Labour's Kate Osamor 'sorry for emotional outbursts' which led to frontbench resignation . Mairs . Nicholas. 11 December 2018 . PoliticsHome.
  37. Web site: Kate Osamor - Committee on Standards - House of Commons . publications.parliament.uk.
  38. Web site: Heffer . Greg . 19 March 2020 . 'I should have smashed your face open with a bat,' Labour MP Kate Osamor told journalist in front of police . Sky News.
  39. Web site: Kate Osamor - Committee on Standards - House of Commons . publications.parliament.uk.
  40. Web site: IPSA Kate Osamor MP,Other Financial Information 2022-2023, Connected Party Payroll. . 5 February 2024.
  41. Web site: Ethan . Shone . MPs employing family members gave them pay rises well above inflation after the pandemic. National World. 21 May 2023. 5 February 2024.
  42. News: Syal . Rajeev . 15 March 2017 . MPs to be banned from using public money to hire relatives . . 5 February 2024.
  43. News: Savage . Michael . 12 October 2019 . Kate Osamor is fifth female Labour MP to face deselection threat . en-GB . The Observer . 12 October 2019 . 0029-7712.
  44. News: Syal . Rajeev . Stewart . Heather . 29 October 2019 . Labour axes controversial trigger ballots after backing election . Guardian . 17 February 2020.
  45. Web site: Edmonton parliamentary constituency . Enfield Council.
  46. News: Edmonton parliamentary constituency - Election 2019 - BBC News .
  47. Web site: 25 January 2022 . Resolution 2417 (2022): Combating rising hate against LGBTI people in Europe . Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
  48. News: Kelleher . Patrick . 25 January 2022 . Labour politicians slammed for 'trying to erase' UK transphobia from anti-LGBT+ hate resolution . . 30 January 2022.
  49. News: Hayton . Debbie . 27 January 2022 . Stop saying the UK is transphobic . . 30 January 2022.
  50. Web site: Harpin . Lee . Labour suspend MP Osamor over her comments about Gaza and Holocaust Memorial Day. . 28 January 2024 . Jewish News. 28 January 2024 .
  51. Web site: Mason . Rowena . Labour suspends Kate Osamor over Gaza comments in Holocaust message . . 29 January 2024 . 28 January 2024.
  52. News: Adu . Aletha . 2024-05-08 . Kate Osamor has Labour whip restored after investigation into Gaza genocide comments . 2024-05-08 . The Guardian . 0261-3077.
  53. Web site: Edmonton and Winchmore Hill - General election results 2024 . 18 July 2024 . BBC News.
  54. Web site: Ishmael Osamor resigns over Bestival drugs supply charges . . 30 January 2024 . 30 October 2018.
  55. News: Segalov . Michael . 23 January 2016 . Labour MP Kate Osamor On Women, Race And Politics . . 13 April 2018.
  56. News: 19 May 2018 . Labour defends peerage for campaigner linked to antisemitism row . The Guardian . Press Association . 2 December 2018.