Kate Osamor

Ofunne Kate Osamor was born on 15 August 1968 in North London and grew up in Haringey.{{cite book |last=Carr |first=Tim |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BVWqCQAAQBAJ&q=%22Ofunne+Kate+OSAMOR%22&pg=PT349 |title=The Politicos Guide to the New House of Commons 2015: Profiles of the New MPs and Analysis of the 2015 General Election Results |date=18 May 2015 |publisher=Biteback Publishing |isbn=9781849549240 |via=Google Books}}{{cite web |title=Kate Osamor |url=http://www.politics.co.uk/reference/kate-osamor |website=politics.co.uk}} She was one of four children; her father died when she was a child and her mother, politician Martha Osamor ({{nee|Oburotha}}), had to work "three, sometimes four jobs".{{cite book |url=https://www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/the-politicos-guide-to-the-new-house-of-commons-2015 |title=The Politicos Guide to the New House of Commons 2015 |date=18 May 2015 |publisher=Biteback Publishing |isbn=9781849549240 |editor1-last=Carr |editor1-first=Tim |editor2-last=Dale |editor2-first=Iain |editor2-link=Iain Dale |editor3-last=Waller |editor3-first=Robert |editor3-link=Robert Waller (pundit)}}{{cite news |last=Segalov |first=Michael |date=23 January 2016 |title=Labour MP Kate Osamor On Women, Race And Politics |newspaper=Refinery29 |url=http://www.refinery29.uk/2016/01/101734/kate-osamor-mp-interview-labour |access-date=4 December 2018}}

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.{{cite web |title=Kate Osamor MP: my pride at being a UEL graduate |url=https://www.uel.ac.uk/news/2017/february/kateosamor |access-date=4 December 2018 |publisher=UEL}}

She worked for The Big Issue newspaper after graduating,{{cite web |title=About – Kate Osamor |url=http://www.kateosamor.co.uk/about |access-date=22 July 2015 |publisher=Kate Osamor}} but principally worked in the NHS and was active in Unite the Union.{{cite news |last=Cowburn |first=Ashley |date=12 March 2015 |title='Who is this black woman?': Kate Osamor on her path to parliament |newspaper=New Statesman |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/uk-politics/2015/03/who-black-woman-kate-osamor-her-path-parliament |access-date=22 July 2015}} 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.

File:Official portrait of Kate Osamor crop 2.jpg

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.{{cite web |title=Election Data 2015 |url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017112223/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt |archive-date=17 October 2015 |access-date=17 October 2015 |publisher=Electoral Calculus}}

Osamor was one of 36 Labour MPs to nominate Jeremy Corbyn as a candidate in the Labour leadership election of 2015.{{cite news |url=http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/06/who-nominated-who-2015-labour-leadership-election |title=Who nominated who for the 2015 Labour leadership election? |newspaper=New Statesman |date=15 June 2015 |access-date=14 September 2015}} She was appointed as a Parliamentary Private Secretary to Corbyn in September 2015.{{cite web |title=About Me - Kate Osamor MP |url=https://www.kateosamor.co.uk/abou |website=Kate Osamor |access-date=2 December 2018}}

On 14 January 2016, Osamor was appointed to the Opposition frontbench as Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities.{{cite news |last=Casalicchio |first=Emilio |date=14 January 2016 |title=New Labour appointments as Corbyn reshuffle enters eleventh day |url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/social-affairs/politics/news/59352/new-labour-appointments-corbyn-reshuffle-enters-eleventh |work=PoliticsHome |publisher=Dod's Parliamentary Communications |access-date=19 July 2016}}

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".{{Cite web|url=https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/labour-shadow-equalities-minister-accused-hypocrisy-over-internship-advertisement-1538709|title=Labour shadow equalities minister Kate Osamor accused of hypocrisy for unpaid intern ad|date=19 January 2016|website=International Business Times UK}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-35351456|title=Labour MP's unpaid intern 'mistake'|first=Brian|last=Wheeler|work=BBC News|date=19 January 2016}}

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.{{cite news |last1=Asthana |first1=Anushka |author-link1=Anushka Asthana |last2=Elgot |first2=Jessica |last3=Stewart |first3=Heather |author-link3=Heather Stewart |date=27 June 2016 |title=Jeremy Corbyn preparing for leadership contest |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/27/labour-resignations-continue-as-mps-try-to-force-out-jeremy-corbyn |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=14 September 2016}}

Osamor has served as the chair for the All Party Parliamentary Group for Nigeria since 2015.{{cite web |title=Register of All Party Parliamentary Groups: Nigeria |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/register/nigeria.htm |website=Parliament UK |access-date=2 December 2018}}

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.{{cite news |title=Edmonton parliamentary constituency |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000687 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150508044953/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000687 |archive-date=2015-05-08 |work=BBC News}}{{cite web |title=Archived copy |url=http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7979/CBP-7979.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180225205506/http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7979/CBP-7979.pdf |archive-date=2018-02-25 |access-date=2018-02-25}} After her re-election, she was accused of plagiarising sections of her victory address from Barack Obama's 2008 speech.{{Cite web |date=2020-02-25 |title=WATCH Labour frontbencher Kate Osamor plagiarises acceptance speech from Barack Obama |url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/article/watch-labour-frontbencher-kate-osamor-plagiarises-acceptance-speech-from-barack-obama |access-date=2022-04-05 |website=Politics Home |language=en}} According to Osamor, she "deliberately invoked a victory speech so famous that she thought it needed no introduction".{{cite news |last= Buchan| first=Lizzy |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/kate-osamor-barack-obama-speech-copy-labour-shadow-international-development-secretary-acceptance-a8357791.html |title=Labour frontbencher ridiculed for copying Barack Obama's acceptance speech |work=The Independent|date= 18 May 2018 |access-date=25 May 2018}}

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.{{cite news |last1=McVeigh |first1=Karen |title=Labour pledges to put women at heart of British aid efforts |url=https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/mar/26/labour-reveals-plans-to-put-reducing-global-inequality-at-core-of-uk-aid |access-date=2 December 2018 |publisher=Guardian}}{{cite web |last1=Osamor |first1=Kate |title=A World for the Many Not the Few |url=https://www.policyforum.labour.org.uk/uploads/editor/files/World_For_The_Many.pdf |access-date=2 December 2018 |website=Labour Policy Forum}}

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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/labour-party/news/106151/labour-mp-says-%E2%80%98monarchy-could-be-abolished%E2%80%99|title=Labour MP says 'monarchy could be abolished' after Queen approves PM's plan to prorogue Parliament|last=PoliticsHome.com|date=29 August 2019|website=PoliticsHome.com|language=en|access-date=30 August 2019}}

In October 2018, it was revealed that Osamor continued to employ her son, Ishmael, in her Parliamentary office despite his drug-related convictions.{{cite news |first=Kate |last=Devlin |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/labour-mp-kate-osamor-still-employs-her-drugs-convict-son-ishmael-dn9hpqflr |title=Labour MP Kate Osamor still employs her drug dealer son Ishmael |date=31 October 2018 |work=The Times |access-date=31 October 2018}} 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.{{cite news |last1=O'Neil |first1=Sean |last2=Devlin |first2=Kate |last3=Humphries |first3=Will |date=December 2018 |title=Kate Osamor: Top Labour MP 'misled public' over son's drugs arrest |newspaper=The Times |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/kate-osamor-top-labour-mp-misled-public-over-son-s-drugs-arrest-k5jk0wm8p |access-date=3 December 2018}} She faced further criticism when it was revealed that she used parliamentary stationery and referenced her shadow cabinet position in writing to the judge.{{cite news |last=Proctor |first=Kate |date=22 January 2019 |title=Kate Osamor facing fresh controversy as secrecy rules mean Commons will not say if Labour MP is being probed |work=Evening Standard |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/kate-osamor-facing-fresh-controversy-as-secrecy-rules-mean-commons-will-not-say-if-labour-mp-is-a4045606.html |access-date=20 April 2019}}

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".{{cite web |url=http://www.cityam.com/270009/shadow-labour-minister-kate-osamor-allegedly-threatens |title=Shadow Labour minister allegedly threatens journalist with bat |first=James |last=Booth |date=1 December 2018 |work=The Times}}{{cite web |url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/labour-party/news/100249/labours-kate-osamor-accused-misleading-public |title=Labour's Kate Osamor accused of 'misleading public' over son's conviction for drug offences |date=1 December 2018 |publisher=PoliticsHome.com}}{{cite news |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/labour-mp-kate-osamor-dialled-999-after-questions-over-drugs-case-krmvnzrl3 |title=Labour MP Kate Osamor dialled 999 after questions over drugs case |first1=Sean |last1=O’Neill |first2=Esther |last2=Webber |first3=Harry |last3=Shukman |date=4 December 2018 |newspaper=The Times }}{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/dec/01/kate-osamor-labour-mp-resigns-son-ishmael-drug-conviction |title=Kate Osamor: Labour MP resigns amid row over son's drug conviction |first=Nadeem |last=Badshah |date=1 December 2018 |website=The Guardian |access-date=1 December 2018}} 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.{{cite news |title=Kate Osamor referred to watchdog over son's drug conviction |work=BBC News|date=5 November 2018 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-46098834 |access-date=1 December 2018}} She denied any wrongdoing, and called the initial referral "politically motivated".

Osamor resigned from the Shadow Cabinet on 1 December 2018,{{cite news |title=Kate Osamor resigns as Shadow Minister |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-46414207 |access-date=1 December 2018}} stating she needed "to concentrate on supporting my family through the difficult time we have been experiencing".{{cite web |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/labour-frontbencher-kate-osamor-resigns-amid-storm-over-sons-drug-conviction-a4005716.html |title=Labour frontbencher Kate Osamor resigns amid storm over son's drug conviction |last1=McShane |first1=Asher |last2=Rose |first2=Eleanor |date=1 December 2018 |work=Evening Standard}} She later tweeted that she was "deeply sorry for (her) emotional outbursts and ... working to better manage (her) feelings".{{cite web |url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/labour-party/news/100522/labours-kate-osamor-%E2%80%98sorry-emotional-outbursts%E2%80%99 |title=Labour's Kate Osamor 'sorry for emotional outbursts' which led to frontbench resignation |last1=Mairs |first1=Nicholas|date=11 December 2018 |work=PoliticsHome}}

On 19 March 2020, the Standards Commissioner found Osamor guilty of two breaches of Parliamentary rules.{{Cite web |title=Kate Osamor - Committee on Standards - House of Commons |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5801/cmselect/cmstandards/210/21003.htm |website=publications.parliament.uk}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Heffer |first=Greg |date=19 March 2020 |title='I should have smashed your face open with a bat,' Labour MP Kate Osamor told journalist in front of police |url=https://news.sky.com/story/i-should-have-smashed-your-face-open-with-a-bat-labour-mp-kate-osamor-told-journalist-in-front-of-police-11960427 |website=Sky News}} 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".{{Cite web |title=Kate Osamor - Committee on Standards - House of Commons |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5801/cmselect/cmstandards/210/21003.htm#footnote-025 |website=publications.parliament.uk}}

Ishmael remains Chief of Staff in his mother’s parliamentary office.{{cite web |title=IPSA Kate Osamor MP,Other Financial Information 2022-2023, Connected Party Payroll|url= https://www.theipsa.org.uk/mp-staffing-business-costs/your-mp/kate-osamor/4515 |website=Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority |access-date=5 February 2024}}{{cite web|first=Ethan |last=Shone |title= MPs employing family members gave them pay rises well above inflation after the pandemic|url= https://www.nationalworld.com/news/politics/mps-employed-family-members-received-pay-rises-well-above-inflation-after-the-pandemic-4150564 |website=National World|date=21 May 2023|access-date=5 February 2024}} 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.{{cite news |last=Syal |first=Rajeev |date=15 March 2017 |title= MPs to be banned from using public money to hire relatives |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/mar/15/mps-to-be-banned-from-using-public-money-to-hire-relatives-expenses|access-date=5 February 2024}}

In October 2019, local party members voted for Osamor to face a re-selection contest to stand at the next general election.{{Cite news |last=Savage |first=Michael |date=12 October 2019 |title=Kate Osamor is fifth female Labour MP to face deselection threat |language=en-GB |work=The Observer |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/oct/12/kate-osamor-becomes-fifth-female-labour-mp-to-face-deselection |access-date=12 October 2019 |issn=0029-7712}} However, the contest was scrapped when the 2019 general election was called.{{cite news |last1=Syal |first1=Rajeev |last2=Stewart |first2=Heather |date=29 October 2019 |title=Labour axes controversial trigger ballots after backing election |work=Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/oct/29/labour-axes-controversial-trigger-ballots-after-backing-election |access-date=17 February 2020}} At the general election, Osamor was again re-elected, with a decreased vote share of 65% and a decreased majority of 16,015.{{cite web |title=Edmonton parliamentary constituency |url=https://new.enfield.gov.uk/services/councillors-and-democracy/notice-of-nominated-poll-and-polling-station-edmonton-councillors-and-democracy.pdf |work=Enfield Council}}{{Cite news |title=Edmonton parliamentary constituency - Election 2019 - BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000687}}

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".{{Cite web |date=25 January 2022 |title=Resolution 2417 (2022): Combating rising hate against LGBTI people in Europe |url=https://pace.coe.int/en/files/29712/html |publisher=Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe}} 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.{{cite news |last=Kelleher |first=Patrick |date=25 January 2022 |title=Labour politicians slammed for 'trying to erase' UK transphobia from anti-LGBT+ hate resolution |work=PinkNews |url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2022/01/25/labour-transgender-council-of-europe/ |access-date=30 January 2022}}{{cite news |last=Hayton |first=Debbie |date=27 January 2022 |title=Stop saying the UK is transphobic |work=UnHerd |url=https://unherd.com/2022/01/stop-pretending-the-uk-is-transphobic/ |access-date=30 January 2022}}

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.{{Cite web |last=Harpin |first=Lee |title=Labour suspend MP Osamor over her comments about Gaza and Holocaust Memorial Day. |url=https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/labour-suspend-mp-osamor-over-her-comments-about-gaza-and-holocaust-memorial-day/ |access-date=28 January 2024 |website=Jewish News|date=28 January 2024 }}{{cite web |last1=Mason |first1=Rowena |title=Labour suspends Kate Osamor over Gaza comments in Holocaust message |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/jan/28/labour-suspends-kate-osamor-over-gaza-comments-in-holocaust-message |website=The Guardian |access-date=29 January 2024 |date=28 January 2024}} On 8 May 2024, the Labour whip was restored to her.{{cite news |last=Adu |first=Aletha |date=2024-05-08 |title=Kate Osamor has Labour whip restored after investigation into Gaza genocide comments |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/may/08/kate-osamor-labour-whip-gaza-genocide |access-date=2024-05-08 |work=The Guardian |issn=0261-3077}}

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.{{cite web |title=Edmonton and Winchmore Hill - General election results 2024 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/E14001221 |access-date=18 July 2024 |website=BBC News}}

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.{{cite web |title=Ishmael Osamor resigns over Bestival drugs supply charges |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-46037833 |website=BBC News |access-date=30 January 2024 |date=30 October 2018}}

Her mother, Martha, is a Labour activist and politician who served as a Councillor and Deputy Leader of Haringey Council.{{cite news |last=Segalov |first=Michael |date=23 January 2016 |title=Labour MP Kate Osamor On Women, Race And Politics |newspaper=Refinery29 |url=http://www.refinery29.uk/2016/01/101734/kate-osamor-mp-interview-labour |access-date=13 April 2018}} She was appointed to the House of Lords in 2018, on the recommendation of Jeremy Corbyn.{{cite news |date=19 May 2018 |title=Labour defends peerage for campaigner linked to antisemitism row |work=The Guardian |agency=Press Association |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/may/19/labour-defends-peerage-for-campaigner-linked-to-anti-semitism-row |access-date=2 December 2018}}

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Category:1968 births

Category:Living people

Category:People educated at Fortismere School

Category:Alumni of the University of East London

Category:Black British women politicians

Category:Female members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies

Category:Politicians from the London Borough of Haringey

Category:UK MPs 2015–2017

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Category:UK MPs 2019–2024

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Category:English people of Nigerian descent

Category:21st-century British women politicians

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