Interview with Oona King
TMP Mon Oct 01, 2007 at 12:28:25 AM GMT 
Facebook
The former Labour MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, Oona King, has just published her book, “House Music: The Oona King Diaries”. The book gives a moving account of her time as an MP. Last week, TMP editor, Chuka Umunna caught up with her. In the first part of this wide ranging interview, Chuka talks to her about her book, politics, inequality and young people. Below is a short extract.
Chuka Umunna: Thanks for speaking to TMP Oona. Firstly, can I ask why you wrote this book? Was it a form of “self-therapy”?
Oona King: In a way I suppose it was. That said, I’ve always kept a diary since my mum gave me one as a Christmas present when I was 11. I’ve never been obsessive about writing it.
In fact, I’ve just started reading Alistair Campbell’s diaries and I can’t understand how he managed to do the job he did while writing reams and reams in his diary every day. In most of his diary entries he says there just aren’t enough hours in the day and ponders what he could do about that - I thought that not writing your diary would be a start!
I often would only write in my diary once a month. When first elected, I kept it less regularly than before, as I struggled to find the time to write it. What it gives is a snap-shot of what my life was like over a given period of time.
Oona King: In a way I suppose it was. That said, I’ve always kept a diary since my mum gave me one as a Christmas present when I was 11. I’ve never been obsessive about writing it.
In fact, I’ve just started reading Alistair Campbell’s diaries and I can’t understand how he managed to do the job he did while writing reams and reams in his diary every day. In most of his diary entries he says there just aren’t enough hours in the day and ponders what he could do about that - I thought that not writing your diary would be a start!
I often would only write in my diary once a month. When first elected, I kept it less regularly than before, as I struggled to find the time to write it. What it gives is a snap-shot of what my life was like over a given period of time.
CU: Do you think you were too “normal” for the House of Commons?
OK: In some ways yes, in other ways I was one of the most abnormal MPs there. I was a completely atypical MP (being Jewish, mixed race and a woman). My favourite compliment (which I got as a politician) was when people would often say to me “you are too normal to be a politician” – so in a sense I was too normal. In other ways, I had wanted to be Prime Minister since I was 4 or 5 years old – that’s not normal at all!
CU: One of the things which has been said about you and the reason you did not achieve ministerial office was that you were perceived as being too “gobby” and not that “safe pair of hands” Prime Ministers look for in their ministerial team. Do you share this view?
OK: Absolutely - that is absolutely right.
To read the full version of this interview, click here.
Interview with Oona King | 5 comments (5 topical)
Interview with Oona King | 5 comments (5 topical)
