Agent
Assistant
Biography
Jess Phillips is the Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley. She was first elected in 2015 and became Chair of the Women’s Parliamentary Labour Party in September 2016. Before elected as an MP, Jess worked with victims of domestic violence, sexual violence and human trafficking, and she continues to speak up on behalf of those who struggle to have their voice heard.
Jess has worked with the Home Office, the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Communities and Local Government on issues of Violence Against Women and Girls. She is one of the women who launched the #NotTheCost campaign to combat the violence faced by politically active women, and the Reclaim the Internet campaign, which challenges online abuse.
Jess has written three books; ‘Everything You Need to Know About Politics: My Life as an MP’ (2021) and ‘Truth To Power: How To Call Time on B.S’ (2019), both Sunday Times Bestsellers, and her debut book was: Everywoman: One Woman’s Truth About Speaking the Truth (2018).
Jess lives with her husband and two sons in Birmingham, where she was born and raised.
Publications
Non-Fiction
If you’re thinking, ‘Jess, who?’ then I’m glad that there was something about ‘Everywoman’ and ‘truth’ that caught your eye.
Or you might already know me as that gobby MP who has a tendency to shout about the stuff I care about. Because I’m a woman with a cause, I have been called a feminazi witch, a murderer and threatened with rape. The internet attracts a classy crowd.
So, speaking the truth isn’t always easy but I believe it’s worth it. And I want you to believe it too. The truth can be empowering, the truth can lead to greater equality, and the world would be incredibly boring if we let all of those people who allegedly know everything, say everything.
By demanding to be heard, by dealing with our imposter syndrome, by being cheerleaders, doers not sayers, creating our own networks and by daring to believe that we can make a difference, we can.
We’re women and we’re kick-ass. And that’s the truth.
Speaking truth to power takes courage. Jess Phillips shows you how to identify the problem, form a plan, and to speak out using the exact same tools that those who have been put on a pedestal of being ‘brave’ have used to deal with the fear, the conflict and – let’s be honest – the awkwardness that can come from telling your boss, your family, your neighbour that something is bullsh*t.
As well as offering inspiration and hope from her own experiences Jess talks to high-profile people on the world stage who have been brave enough to risk everything, become whistle-blowers and successfully fight back.
Truth to Power will help you change things. It will help you slam down that manager in the office you have tolerated for years; or tell your mate that you hate the way they talk about your husband or wife. It will help call out bullies in all walks of life. It will help you rally support and fight the fight against injustice – even though the odds seem stacked against you.
From the sublime to the ridiculous, the inner workings of Westminster are often a mystery to an outsider. Here, Jess Phillips lifts the lid on the systems and rules that govern us all, and in her own inimitable style shows us what’s really going on in British politics.
Drawing on her tenure as an MP, she will explain the process of running for government; changing a law; serving her constituents; wrangling with her fellow MPs and so much more. This is the perfect book for anyone who’s a bit confused about how it all works…
Can you imagine a world where politics functioned, every politician told the truth and the government cared about the electorate more than elections?
Although it feels like an impossible dream, it should be reality. With humour and candour Jess Phillips exposes what’s going wrong – and what we can do about it.
From culture wars to clickbait, it’s fair to say that politics has lost some of its integrity, and we’ve all suffered as a result. If it hadn’t almost wrecked the country with calamitous consequences in almost every sector of public life, it would almost be funny. But we let our standards drop – and we deserve better.
Jess Phillips believes in democracy, and the people she meets give her cause for optimism even if sometimes politicians really (really) don’t. At once a laugh-so-you-don’t-cry take down of what’s gone wrong and a rallying battle cry for bringing truth back to politics, this book will make you angry, cheer you up, and give you hope.
