Oona King facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Baroness King of Bow
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King in 2010
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| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| In office 26 January 2011 – 9 July 2024 |
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| Member of Parliament for Bethnal Green and Bow |
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| In office 1 May 1997 – 11 April 2005 |
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| Preceded by | Constituency created |
| Succeeded by | George Galloway |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Oona Tamsyn King
22 October 1967 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse |
Tiberio Santomarco
(m. 1994) |
| Children | 4 |
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| Relatives |
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| Alma mater | |
Oona Tamsyn King, also known as Baroness King of Bow (born October 22, 1967), is a British business leader and former politician. She was a Labour Party MP for Bethnal Green and Bow from 1997 to 2005. Later, she became a member of the House of Lords from 2011 to 2024.
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Early Life and Education
Oona King was born in Sheffield, England. Her father, Preston King, was an African-American university professor. Her mother, Hazel King, was a British Jewish activist who worked for social justice.
Oona King has famous relatives. Her aunt is the doctor Miriam Stoppard. Her cousin is the actor Ed Stoppard. On her father's side, her family includes American civil rights activists. These are people who worked to make sure everyone has equal rights.
She went to Haverstock Comprehensive Secondary School in London. She studied with other future Labour politicians, David Miliband and Ed Miliband.
After school, she attended the University of York. She also studied at the University of California, Berkeley in the United States. In 1990, she graduated with a top degree in politics.
Political Career
Before becoming an MP, Oona King worked in politics. She was a researcher for the European Parliament. This is a group that makes laws for European countries. She also helped MEPs (Members of the European Parliament).
From 1995 to 1997, she was a political organiser for the GMB trade union. Trade unions help workers with their rights and pay.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
In 1997, Oona King was chosen to run for the Bethnal Green and Bow seat. This is an area she would represent in Parliament. She won the election that year.
She became the second black woman ever elected as a MP in the UK. The first was Diane Abbott. In her first speech in Parliament, Oona King spoke about her mixed heritage. She also talked about the racial abuse her family had faced.
She said her area was "truly multicultural." She highlighted how hardship there led to important social changes. These changes included the creation of the NHS. She stressed the need to end poverty and improve education.
Work in Parliament
As an MP, King served on the international development committee. This group looks at how the UK helps other countries. She also led a group focused on Bangladesh.
In 2002, she gave a speech about genocide and her visit to Rwanda. She also worked as a special assistant to government ministers. In 2003, she was named one of "100 Great Black Britons."
King supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq. This decision was not popular with many people in her area. Her constituency had a large Muslim population. In 2007, she said she did not regret her vote. She believed it was important to remove Saddam Hussein.
However, she later expressed concerns about the US's ability to rebuild Iraq. She saw how they struggled after Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. This made her question their plans for Iraq.
2005 General Election
The 2005 election for Bethnal Green and Bow was very competitive. George Galloway ran against Oona King. The main issue was King's support for the Iraq War.
King called it "one of the dirtiest" campaigns. She reported facing anti-Semitic and racial abuse. Both candidates received police protection. King lost her seat by a small number of votes. She believed false stories about her wanting to ban halal meat also played a part.
After Parliament (2005–2009)
After losing her seat, Oona King started a career in media. In 2007, she published her autobiography, The Oona King Diaries: House Music.
In 2008, Prime Minister Gordon Brown appointed her. She became his Senior Policy Adviser on Equality and Diversity. In 2009, she became the head of diversity at Channel 4, a TV channel.
2010 London Mayoral Campaign
In 2010, King tried to become the Labour Party candidate for Mayor of London. She ran against Ken Livingstone. Her campaign focused on helping young people. She wanted to reduce knife crime and help them reach their goals.
She was shortlisted for the nomination. King spoke about her experience working with top government officials. She also showed she was willing to work with political opponents. However, Ken Livingstone won the nomination in September 2010.
Becoming a Peer
On January 26, 2011, Oona King was made a life peer. This means she became a member of the House of Lords for life. She was given the title Baroness King of Bow. She joined the Labour Party members in the House of Lords.
When she joined the Lords, she left her role at Channel 4. In 2016, she took a break from the Lords. She became the Diversity Director at YouTube. In 2019, she joined Snap, Inc. (the company that owns Snapchat). She was their first Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion.
The Powerlist often lists her as one of the most influential people of African or African-Caribbean descent in the UK. In January 2024, she joined Uber as their Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer. She officially retired from the House of Lords on July 9, 2024.
Media Work
Oona King has appeared on many TV shows. These include This Week and The Daily Politics. She also hosted a BBC Two documentary called American Prophet. In 2013, she competed on the ITV skating show Dancing on Ice.
Personal Life
In 1994, Oona King married Tiberio Santomarco from Italy. They have four children. Three of their children were adopted. Their fourth child was born in 2013 through a surrogate mother. Oona King can speak Italian and French fluently.
