Caroline Russell
{{short description|Green Party of England and Wales politician and activist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = Councillor
| name = Caroline Russell
| honorific-suffix = AM
| image = Cllr Caroline Russell, London Assembly Member (cropped).jpg
| imagesize =
| alt =
| caption = Russell speaking at "Pedal on Parliament" in October 2018
| office = Leader of the Greens in the London Assembly
| term_start = 19 October 2018
| term_end =
| predecessor = Siân Berry
| successor =
| office2 = Member of the London Assembly for Londonwide
| term_start2 = 6 May 2016
| term_end2 =
| predecessor2 =
| successor2 =
| office3 = Councillor for Islington London Borough Council
| term_start3 = 22 May 2014
| term_end3 =
| 1blankname3 = Ward
| 1namedata3 = {{ubl|Highbury East (2014–2022)|Highbury (2022–present)}}
| predecessor3 = John Gilbert
| successor3 =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1962|08|10|df=y}}
| birth_place =
| birthname =
| nationality =
| party = {{Nowrap|Green Party of England and Wales}}
| spouse = {{marriage|Sir Roly Keating|1989}}
| children = 3
| residence =
| alma_mater = Goldsmiths, University of London
City University London
| occupation = Politician, activist
| website = {{Official URL}}
}}
Caroline Russell (born 10 August 1962) is a British politician and activist serving as Leader of the Green Party in the London Assembly since October 2018, and a Member of the London Assembly (AM) for Londonwide since May 2016.{{cite web|title=London Elections 2016|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2016/london/results|website=BBC News|accessdate=6 May 2016|date=6 May 2016}}
Early life and education
Caroline Russell was born on 10 August 1962.{{cite web|title=Caroline Russell – Candidate for Greater London assembly in Greater London Assembly elections|url=https://candidates.democracyclub.org.uk/person/4750/caroline-russell|publisher=Democracy Club|accessdate=2020-01-25}} She studied fine art at the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, University College, Oxford, and at Goldsmiths, University of London, graduating with a Master of Arts (MA) degree.{{cite web|title=Caroline Russell – Islington North|url=https://islington.greenparty.org.uk/elections/|website=Islington Green Party|accessdate=6 May 2016}} She subsequently studied civil engineering at City, University of London, graduating with a Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) degree, and first moved to Islington in 1986.{{Cite web|last=Morris|first=James|date=2016-10-04|title=Caroline Russell: Life of a sole Green councillor in Labour land of Jeremy Corbyn|url=https://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/local-council/caroline-russell-life-of-a-sole-green-councillor-in-labour-3760676|access-date=2021-09-19|website=Islington Gazette|language=en-UK}}
Political career
Russell became engaged in politics after the death of a young child in a traffic incident near where she lived.{{Cite web|date=2017-01-23|title=So you want to be a climate campaigner? Here's how|url=http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jan/23/climate-campaigner-heres-how-activsim-green|access-date=2021-09-19|website=The Guardian|language=en}} In 2012, Russell was serving as local transport spokesperson for the Green Party of England and Wales.{{Cite web|date=2015-08-11|title=Shoppers refuse to show boarding cards as VAT revolt grows|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/air-travellers-refusing-show-boarding-passes-airport-shops-after-news-information-used-stores-avoid-paying-vat-10449107.html|access-date=2021-09-19|website=The Independent|language=en}}{{cite web|last1=Britcher|first1=Chris|title=Green Party hits out at 'short-sighted and flawed' lower Thames crossing plans for Gravesend|url=http://www.kentnews.co.uk/news/green_party_hits_out_at_short_sighted_and_flawed_lower_thames_crossing_plans_for_gravesend_1_4396798|website=Kent on Sunday|publisher=Simon Irwin|accessdate=6 May 2016}}
Russell was elected as a councillor for Highbury East on Islington Council in the May 2014 election by a margin of eight votes.{{Cite web|last=Morris|first=James|date=2018-02-09|title=Fair game or one-party state? Battle lines drawn as Labour – and Jeremy Corbyn – target Greens in Highbury East|url=https://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/local-council/fair-game-or-one-party-state-battle-lines-drawn-as-3788386|access-date=2021-09-19|website=Islington Gazette|language=en-UK}} She was the only member of the council not representing the Labour Party and so was the only opposition member. In October 2014, she called for Holloway Road to have a speed limit of 20 mph, a road controlled by Transport for London which had not been affected by Islington council's earlier 20 mph limit on all roads they controlled.{{Cite web|last=Tchernookova|first=Alice|date=2014-10-28|title=Greens call for 20mph limit on Holloway Road|url=https://islingtonnow.co.uk/greens-call-for-20mph-limit-on-holloway-road/|access-date=2021-09-19|website=Islington Now|language=en-GB}} In December of the same year, she criticised as "authoritarian" a Labour councillor's comments that cannabis users should not be allowed to live in council housing.{{Cite web|last=Brigstock-Barron|first=Rory|date=2014-12-11|title='Cannabis smokers should not be housed' says Islington councillor|url=https://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/crime/cannabis-smokers-should-not-be-housed-says-islington-councillor-3726778|access-date=2021-09-19|website=Islington Gazette|language=en-UK}}
Russell stood for election in the 2015 general election for the Islington North constituency. The Labour candidate Jeremy Corbyn won, with Russell coming in third place with 5,043 votes and a voteshare of 10.2%.{{Cite web|last=Morris|first=James|date=2017-06-09|title=General Election 2017: Losing Green, Tory and Liberal Democrat candidates target Islington Council|url=https://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/local-council/general-election-2017-losing-green-tory-and-liberal-democrat-candidates-3773514|access-date=2021-09-19|website=Islington Gazette|language=en-UK}} She was elected as a London-wide Member of the London Assembly in 2016, having been the second candidate on the Green Party list.{{Cite news|date=2016-05-07|title=Greens' Natalie Bennett defends leadership after elections|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/election-2016-36229807|access-date=2021-09-19}}{{Cite news|date=2016-05-06|title=London Election 2016: Labour dominate Assembly and mayor votes|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/election-2016-36206505|access-date=2021-09-19}} In October 2018, she condemned the Labour mayor of London Sadiq Khan over plans for the Silvertown Tunnel, a new road tunnel under the Thames that she said would "lead to more pollution and congestion".{{Cite web|date=2016-10-04|title=Green groups accuse Sadiq Khan of betrayal over east London tunnel|url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/oct/04/sadiq-khan-silvertown-tunnel-east-london-green-pollution|access-date=2021-09-19|website=The Guardian|language=en}} She again contested the Islington North constituency in the 2017 general election, this time coming fourth with 2,229 votes constituting 4.1% of votes cast. In December 2017, she promoted and participated in a "human barrier" demonstration in favour of safer bike lanes.{{Cite news|date=2017-12-13|title=Campaigners line London route to promote bike lane safety|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-42338306|access-date=2021-09-19}} Russell was re-elected as an Islington councillor in the 2018 election. In July 2018, she called for Khan to reduce speed limits to 20 mph in outer London as well as inner London.{{Cite web|title=Plans to impose 20mph speed limit in central London criticised|url=https://www.enfieldindependent.co.uk/news/16374243.plans-impose-20mph-speed-limit-central-london-criticised/|access-date=2021-09-19|website=Enfield Independent|date=25 July 2018 |language=en}} In August 2018, she was chair of the environemtnal committee on the London Assembly.{{Cite web|date=2018-08-28|title=Too dirty to breathe: can London clean up its toxic air?|url=http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/aug/28/too-dirty-to-breathe-can-london-clean-up-its-toxic-air|access-date=2021-09-19|website=The Guardian|language=en}} In December of the same year, she successfully proposed a motion at the London Assembly that brought forward the city's target to be carbon neutral from 2050 to 2030.{{Cite web|date=2018-12-11|title=London mayor unveils plan to tackle 'climate emergency'|url=http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/dec/11/london-mayor-sadiq-khan-city-climate-emergency|access-date=2021-09-19|website=The Guardian|language=en}}
In April 2019, a report Russell commissioned into the impact of the climate crisis on London was released.{{Cite web|date=2019-05-24|title=London's In Danger Of Flooding. What Can Be Done To Stop It?|url=https://londonist.com/london/features/london-flooding-danger|access-date=2021-09-19|website=Londonist|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2019-04-30|title=London tubes, schools and homes 'face climate change chaos'|url=http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/apr/30/london-tubes-schools-and-homes-face-climate-change-chaos|access-date=2021-09-19|website=The Guardian|language=en}} In the following month, Transport for London suspended advertising from a list of countries with poor human rights records after Russell raised the issue.{{Cite web|last=Sleigh|first=Sophia|date=2019-05-02|title=Tube chiefs ban adverts from 11 countries over poor human rights|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/tube-chiefs-ban-adverts-from-11-countries-over-poor-human-rights-a4132321.html|access-date=2021-09-19|website=www.standard.co.uk|language=en}} In August 2019, she was arrested at a protest against the prorogation of Parliament.{{Cite web|title=Leading London politician arrested while protesting Parliament shutdown|url=https://www.enfieldindependent.co.uk/news/17875194.london-assembly-member-arrested-brexit-protest/|access-date=2021-09-19|website=Enfield Independent|date=2 September 2019 |language=en}} In September of the same year, after flooding in London underground stations, she highlighted findings of her report from earlier in the year that 23 underground stations were vulnerable to flooding.{{Cite web|last=Morris|first=James|date=2019-09-26|title='Climate change means flooding of London stations will be commonplace'|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/climate-change-means-flooding-of-london-stations-will-become-regular-occurrence-says-london-assembly-member-a4247541.html|access-date=2021-09-19|website=www.standard.co.uk|language=en}} She stood in the 2019 United Kingdom general election, again for Islington North, and came in 4th place with 4,326 votes making up 8.0% of the overall vote.{{Cite web|last=Cumiskey|first=Lucas|date=2019-12-13|title=General Election 2019: Re-elected Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn to stand down as Labour leader after Conservatives' landslide victory|url=https://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/general-election-2019-re-elected-islington-north-mp-jeremy-corbyn-3830422|access-date=2021-09-19|website=Islington Gazette|language=en-UK}} Russell was the second candidate on the Green Party list for the 2021 London Assembly election, which had been scheduled for 2020 before being delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She won re-election.{{Cite web|date=2019-02-14|title=Green party's Siân Berry to run for London mayor again in 2020|url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/feb/14/green-party-sian-berry-stand-london-mayoral-election-2020|access-date=2021-09-19|website=The Guardian|language=en}}
Personal life
In 1989, Russell married Roly Keating.{{cite web|title=Caroline Russell – Register of interests|url=https://www.london.gov.uk/node/33457|website=london.gov.uk|date=16 May 2016 |publisher=Greater London Authority|accessdate=19 September 2016}}{{cite web|title=KEATING, Roland Francis Kester, (Roly)|url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U41597|website=Who's Who 2016|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=19 September 2016|date=November 2015}} They have three children: one son and two daughters. Since her husband's knighthood, she may be legally referred to as Caroline Russell, Lady Keating.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- {{Official website}}
- [https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-london-assembly-does/london-assembly-members/caroline-russell Profile] at the London Assembly
{{GPEW}}
{{Current London Assembly members}}
{{Green Party London mayoral selection, 2015}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Russell, Caroline}}
Category:Alumni of Goldsmiths, University of London
Category:Alumni of City, University of London
Category:Green Party of England and Wales parliamentary candidates
Category:Green Party Members of the London Assembly
Category:Councillors in the London Borough of Islington
Category:Green Party of England and Wales councillors
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:Women councillors in England
Category:UK councillors 2014–2018