1981 – Joined the Labour Party
1984 – 1999 – Elected as MEP for London East. (including Wanstead).
1989 – 1991 Elected Deputy Leader of the European Parliamentary Labour Party.
2000 – Campaigned in support of local MP, acting as her minder during the general election and answering her email.
Due to caring responsibilities my grassroots activity has been limited in the last decade. However my circumstances have now changed and I am now once again able to devote time to the Labour Party.
Testimonials
“Carole Tongue has an exceptional experience and understanding of Communications and Audiovisual legislative agendas in the European Parliament having tracked and advised on initiatives both as a former MEP and in the past years when I have worked with her in connection with the UK Independent Film Parliament, and as director of the UK Coalition for Cultural Diversity.
It is vital that the Labour Party nominate someone with the ability to connect issues of copyright, internet regulation, convergence, media ownership, and local content in order that our cultural rights should be protected, and our potential to lead internationally through the strength of our creative industries can be secured. Carole Tongue has all the necessary skills and experience to achieve this.” Holly Aylett, Director, UK Coalition for Cultural Diversity
“Carole has proved herself to be an exceptionally efficient and hard working MEP. She has an especially good relationship with the trade union Movement. Her work on equality issues has been outstanding, particularly fighting for the rights of part-time workers, and other vulnerable workers. I have no hesitation in supporting Carole in her application.” Baroness Anne Gibson OBE, Former Member of the Equal Opportunities Commission and the TUC General Council
“Carole Tongue has the integrity, the experience and the drive to represent the best interests of Labour and the people it seeks to serve. She has a knowledge of the institutions which matter to peoples lives and the campaigning skills to win people over the values and purpose of the party. We need more Caroles at every level of the Labour Party.” Neal Lawson, Compass
“I can testify to Carole’s formidable campaigning in support of trade unions, women’s rights, equality and worker’s rights in general
when she was an MEP and ever since. She played a significant role in achieving many of the social EU directives we now take for granted.” Gloria Mills, National Secretary, Equalities and Head of Membership Participation, UNISON
“Carole Tongue is a formidable campaigner. For years she fought the good fight to push cultural policy up the political agenda, and was one of the first to warn against the danger to democracy of excessive concentration of media power.
I witnessed at previous elections how good and effective local campaigner she is. And for several years she was an integral part of Labour’s leadership team in Brussels, helping to promote a positive European programme of jobs and growth, which should be at the centre of Europe’s ambitions in the years ahead.” Sir Julian Priestley – Former Secretary-General of the European Parliament Socialist Group, Former Secretary General of the European Parliament
“Carole was a real force of nature as an MEP and has continued to be a highly effective campaigner since leaving the European Parliament. I am full of admiration for her indefatigable energy and her commitment to numerous causes – not least that of a free, fair and plural media with diversity of ownership at its core.
I believe she could once again be a real asset to the Labour Party in Europe – most especially given her knowledge of how the political system in Brussels and Strasbourg really works.” Lord David Puttnam
“As a former colleague of Carole’s in the European Parliament I know that her experience would be a great asset to Labour there. In an institution with so many countries and parties Carole’s communication skills and her ability to win allies for the causes that she and Labour are committed to would be invaluable”. Baroness Joyce Quin, Former MEP
“Carole Tongue has been and continues to be a great friend to the Musicians’ Union (MU) and she has an exceptional understanding of intellectual property and other issues affecting performers and musicians.
I believe that she would be a real asset to the Creative Industries and that she would provide invaluable help in defending performers’ rights in Europe.” John Smith General Secretary Musicians’ Union, President, International Federation of Musicians”
“In the 1990s, Carole campaigned for an EU Protocol to protect public service broadcasting. She also worked for an EU law to defend local TV programming reflecting our culture, values and identity.
Certain large media companies opposed both measures. Despite that Carole was successful in bringing both to the statute book. During this time she campaigned as an outspoken critic of Rupert Murdoch’s overweaning influence upon British journalism, our media industries and our culture.
She continues to work for cultural diversity of expression and media pluralism which is vital for our democracy and a vibrant audiovisual culture.” Polly Toynbee, award winning journalist, author, broadcaster.
“Carole was a very hardworking and effective MEP, particularly for all workers in the car industry. She has an especially good relationship with the trade union movement. When she was European Parliament rapporteur on the European Car Industry, she made sure that trade unions were represented in the first ever European Car Industry Forum.
She consulted car industry trade union representatives at all times and ensured our views were represented in her two reports on the Future of the European Car Industry which were adopted overwhelmingly in the European Parliament in the early 1990s.
Her lobbying of President Jacques Delors and the European Commission made sure we won a new fund for workers threatened with redundancy.
I have no hesitation in supporting Carole. She would be a real asset to the trade union movement in the European Parliament.” Tony Woodley, former General Secretary of UNITE