A bit about all of us.  Including our politics, backgrounds and interests. Quite interesting really…. and how to contact us!

Jenny Riddell ( Creator and Editor)

I work for a Public Affairs consultancy firm in London, and am an active Labour party member.

My background however is a bit more international, with an undergrad degree in Politics and History of the Middle East, and an MA in Islamic History. My main personal interests are women’s issues, equality and foreign policy. If you want to become involved in this fast growing blog, then get in contact! As long as you have a desire to  write on UK politics, then we want to hear from you.

I hope you enjoy the blog!

Contact: Jenny_riddell03@yahoo.co.uk

Louis Connor

Contributor for Parliamentary Reform

After graduating from University in Bristol with a 2:1 degree in Politics, I have undertaken a number of internships at political organisations including; the Electoral Reform Society, the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign and the think tank Demos.

As well as writing blog contributions for ParliamentaryNews,  I am also working for Entrepreneurs in Action who seek to unlock youth talent through the development of enterprise skills.

My political interests are varied but include Middle Eastern politics, electoral and constitutional reform in the UK, and issues relating to social exclusion.

In the near future I hope to visit Palestine in a humanitarian role and undertake a Masters Degree in September 2010.

Contact: louisjrconnor@gmail.com

Richard Cressey

Contributor on Labour politics

I’m a third year International Relations and Politics student at Sheffield University. I was born and lived my entire pre-university life in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire; a town famous for its spa water, burgeoning videogames industry and being the home to the Czech and Polish resistance movement during WWII. I am fascinated by politics of all sorts but most particularly the UK Labour Party, of which I am currently a member. My other interests include sport (mainly cricket and football), music and travelling as far as my student budget will currently let me.

Contact:

David Vaiani

Contributor on the Tories

David studied History at Oxford and has worked in the financial services and publishing industries since graduating in 2004. He is currently an Associate Publisher at Longtail Publishing, where he specialises in financial, business and legal publications.

He is an active member of the Conservative Party and is currently the Vice Chairman and Press Officer of the Islington Conservative Association.

David runs a group called Aspire, which provides bright and able state school pupils with interview coaching for entry to Oxbridge. He is also a school governor and Vice Chairman of Governors at a school in Dulwich.

In his spare time, he enjoys reading history, collecting modern & contemporary art, and playing golf.

Contact: david.vaiani@googlemail.com

Richard Hendon

Contributor on the Tories

Richard is a former Police Inspector in the Metropolitan Police Service, where he served in some of the busiest and diverse boroughs in London for over 9 years. Here, he gained a real insight into the everyday issues that effect society, which ultimately has led Richard to take an active involvement in politics.

Richard studied criminology at Cambridge and is now  reading law at the college of law.  He is also involved at grass roots level with the conservative party. He is a keen sportsman and competes in white water kayaking at an international level.

contact:

Haider Ali

Contributor on Lib Dem politics

I’m currently in my third year at Aston University studying Politics and International Relations, a keen supporter of George Galloway and the Respect party on a regional level, the Liberal Democrats on a more mainstream level, with them favoring socialist policies and the abolition of tuition fees.

Hobbies include listening to drum and bass, amongst other underground music phenomenon’s, an avid Liverpool fan but above all a down to earth fella that can relate to your average tom, dick and harry. A geezers geezer in other words  .

My passion in life is the Palestinian/Israel debate. An apartheid regime that I feel is raping an indigenous people, and a cause that I have to fight for within the means at my disposal.

Contact: haider_ali187@hotmail.com

Cheryl Brumley

Contributor for the Environment and politics

Cheryl is a Florida native, graduated from the London School of Economics with an MSc in Theory and History of International Relations in 2008, where she focused on the Middle East and political Islam, as well as politics of Asia and the Pacific. Shortly after graduating, she worked as a researcher to neuro-scientist and Peer, Baroness Susan Greenfield, in the House of Lords. Since then, she has served as a Correspondence Officer at the Department of Energy and Climate Change and currently works as a Performance Analyst at the Department of Health.

Contact:

Patrick Hogan

Contributor for USA/UK relations

Patrick holds degrees in International and European Politics from the University of Edinburgh and Political Science from Western Illinois University.  He has worked for several political campaigns in America and Britain and has written for online media outlets.  His interests lie in American and British domestic and foreign policy, transatlantic relations, and international security issues.

Contact:

Tim Johnston

Tim Johnston is currently reading BA Creative Writing at the University of Greenwich, London.  After leaving University he hopes to pursue his interest in politics on a full-time and permanent basis.

Contact: tjoh71@gmail.com