View source for Simon Woolley, Baron Woolley of Woodford

{{Short description|British politician and activist (born 1961)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date = March 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = [[The Right Honourable]]
| name = The Lord Woolley of Woodford
| honorific-suffix =
| image = Official portrait of Lord Woolley of Woodford crop 2.jpg
| caption =
| office2 = [[Member of the House of Lords]]<br/>[[Lords Temporal|Lord Temporal]]
| term_start2 = 14 October 2019<br/>[[Life peer|Life Peerage]]
| term_end2 =
| office3          = [[Master (college)|Principal]] of [[Homerton College, Cambridge]]
| term_start3      = 2021
| term_end3          =
| predecessor3       = [[Geoff Ward (academic)|Geoff Ward]]
| successor3        =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|24 December 1961}}
| birth_place = [[Leicester]]
| alma_mater = [[Middlesex University]] <br /> [[Queen Mary University of London]]
| known_for = Political activism<br/>[[Operation Black Vote]] (OBV) founder
}}
'''Simon Andrew Woolley, Baron Woolley of Woodford''' (born 24 December 1961), is a British politician and activist. He is the founder and director of [[Operation Black Vote]] (OBV) and Trustee of the charity [[Police Now]], and has been Principal of [[Homerton College, Cambridge]], since October 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.homerton.cam.ac.uk/homersphere/news/lord-woolley-installed-principal-homerton|title = Homerton College News &#124; Homerton College}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.barryanddistrictnews.co.uk/news/national/19198977.equalities-activist-first-black-man-elected-head-oxbridge-college/|title = Equalities activist first black man to be elected head of Oxbridge college|website=Barry & District News|date=31 March 2021}}</ref>
Woolley has been a [[Crossbencher|crossbench]] member of the [[House of Lords]] since October 2019. He was chair of the [[Government of the United Kingdom]] Race Disparity Unit Advisory Group until July 2020.
== Early life and education ==
Woolley was born to Lolita, a [[Windrush generation]] nurse in [[Leicester]] in the [[East Midlands]] of England on 24 December 1961,<ref name="WW 2020">{{cite web |title=Woolley, Sir Simon, (born 24 Dec. 1961), Co-Founder and Director, Operation Black Vote, since 1996 |url=https://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-250914 |website=[[Who's Who 2020]] |publisher=Oxford University Press |access-date=21 September 2020 |language=en |doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U250914 |date=1 December 2019|isbn=9780199540884 }}</ref> and aged two, she sent him to a Catholic [[orphanage]].<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=Simon Woolley {{!}} Voice for change - Saga |url=https://www.saga.co.uk/magazine/entertainment/real-lives/simon-woolley-voice-for-change |access-date=2023-07-23 |website=www.saga.co.uk}}</ref> He was fostered then [[adopted]] and raised by parents Phillis and Dan Fox.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.obv.org.uk/news-blogs/race-and-equalities-activist-simon-woolley-be-knighted-queen|title=Race and equalities activist Simon Woolley to be knighted by Queen {{!}} OBV|date=7 June 2019|website=www.obv.org.uk|access-date=2019-06-16}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web|date=5 January 2020|title='I had no excuse not to change my world' - Operation Black Vote campaigner explains how growing up in St Matthews shaped his views|first=Asha|last= Patel|url=https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/i-no-excuse-not-change-3609879|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=8 June 2020|website=LeicestershireLive}}</ref> Woolley grew up on the [[St Matthew's, Leicester|St Matthew's]] estate,<ref name=":0" /> which he has described as "a working-class council estate but it was a hard-working council estate. You never felt that you were short of anything."<ref name=":4" /> Woolley's adoptive parents fostered a number of other children during his childhood. Dan Fox died when Woolley was 14 years old.<ref name=":4" />
Woolley left school without any [[A-Level]] qualifications and started his working life in an [[apprenticeship]]<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/jun/07/operation-black-vote-simon-woolley-knighthood-birthday-honours-list|title=Birthday honours list: Operation Black Vote's Simon Woolley knighted|last=Muir|first=Hugh|date=2019-06-07|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-06-16|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> as a car mechanic.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|date=31 October 2019|title=MDX alumnus Lord Woolley gives his maiden speech in Grenfell Inquiry debate|url=https://www.mdx.ac.uk/news/2019/10/lord-simon-woolley-lords-grenfell-inquiry-report|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=8 June 2020|website=Middlesex University London}}</ref> He moved to London at the age of 19<ref name=":4" /> and spent four successful years in advertising, employed by [[The Rank Organisation]] in [[Wardour Street]], before deciding to study [[Spanish language|Spanish]] and [[Politics]] at [[Middlesex University]].<ref name=":1" /> During his studies, Woolley spent a year in [[Costa Rica]] and [[Colombia]].<ref name=":5" /> He studied at [[Queen Mary University of London]], and was awarded [[Master of Arts]] in [[Hispanic literature]] from the [[University of London]] in 1994.
== Career ==
Woolley became engaged with British politics, joining the campaign group [[Charter 88]].<ref name=":1" /> He started to research the potential impact of a black vote, which he argued could influence electoral outcomes in marginal seats.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.obv.org.uk/our-communities/events/simon-woolley-importance-ethnic-minority-participation-politics|title=Simon Woolley: The importance of ethnic-minority participation in politics {{!}} OBV|website=www.obv.org.uk|date=23 March 2015|access-date=2019-06-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.placemakingresource.com/article/472999/interview-political-motivator---simon-woolley-national-coordinator-operation-black-vote|title=Interview: Political motivator – Simon Woolley, national coordinator, Operation Black Vote|last=Meghji|first=Shafik|website=www.placemakingresource.com|access-date=2019-06-16}}</ref> These findings encouraged Woolley to launch [[Operation Black Vote]] (OBV) in 1996.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/03/operation-black-vote-road-bus-could-decide-election|title=Operation Black Vote: on the road with the bus that could decide the election|date=2 March 2015|first=Anoosh|last=Chakelian|website=www.newstatesman.com|language=en|access-date=2019-06-16}}</ref> Operation Black Vote has launched voter registration campaigns, an app to inspire and inform [[black and minority ethnic]] (BME) individuals and worked with [[Saatchi & Saatchi]] on a ''[[pro bono]]'' advertising campaign.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://esmeefairbairn.org.uk/operation-black-vote-obv|title={{!}} Operation Black Vote|website=esmeefairbairn.org.uk|access-date=2019-06-16}}</ref>
Woolley also worked to empower communities and to integrate better politics education into the school curriculum.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=awGoBQAAQBAJ&q=simon+woolley+education&pg=PA36|title=HC 232 – Voter Engagement in the UK|last=Committee|first=Great Britain Parliament House of Commons Political and Constitutional Reform|date=2014-11-14|publisher=The Stationery Office|isbn=9780215078773|language=en}}</ref> The [[Esmée Fairbairn Foundation]] estimated that Woolley's efforts encouraged millions of people to vote.<ref name=":2" /> Much of his work has been around nurturing BME civic and politic talent: the then Home Secretary [[Theresa May]] said in a speech in Westminster in 2016: "Today we celebrate a record number of BME MPs in parliament – 41. British politics and British society greatly benefits when we can utilise diversity’s teeming talent pool. That’s why today we are announcing that in the months ahead we will begin a new MP and business shadowing scheme."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.obv.org.uk/news-blogs/theresa-may-celebrates-bme-mps-parliament|title=Theresa May celebrates BME MPs in Parliament {{!}} OBV|website=www.obv.org.uk|date=14 January 2016|access-date=2019-07-06}}</ref>
Woolley served as a Commissioner for the [[Equality and Human Rights Commission]].<!--dead link<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://shadesofnoir.org.uk/simon-woolley/|title=Simon Woolley|date=2012-06-30|language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-16}}</ref>--><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://theconversation.com/there-are-things-we-need-to-say-about-race-but-trevor-phillips-didnt-say-them-39086|title=There are things we need to say about race – but Trevor Phillips didn't say them|last=Schaffer|first=Gavin|website=[[The Conversatiion (website)|The Conversation]]|language=en|date=20 March 2015|access-date=2019-06-16}}</ref> In 2008, the [[Government Equalities Office]] released Woolley's report ''How to achieve better BME political representation''.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ecu.ac.uk/profiles/simon-woolley/|title=Simon Woolley|website=Equality Challenge Unit|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-06-16}}</ref> He was appointed to the Equalities Commission in 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.obv.org.uk/news-blogs/simon-woolley-appointed-equality-commission|title=Simon Woolley appointed to Equality Commission {{!}} OBV|website=www.obv.org.uk|date=19 November 2009|access-date=2019-06-16}}</ref> He has launched two governmental investigations, including REACH, which looked to tackle the alienation of black youth, as well as working with [[Harriet Harman]] on the political representation of black and minority ethnic women.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/who-we-are/boards/roma-programs-advisory-board/member/simon-woolley-2|title=Open Society Foundations|website=www.opensocietyfoundations.org|language=en|access-date=2019-06-16}}</ref> He worked with [[Bernie Grant]], [[Al Sharpton]], [[Naomi Campbell]] and [[Jesse Jackson]] on grassroots campaigns highlighting [[racial discrimination]].<ref name=":1" />
In 2017, Operation Black Vote, ''[[The Guardian]]'' newspaper and Green Park Ltd launched the ''Colour of Power'', which to date is the most in-depth look at the racial make-up of Britain's top jobs across 28 sectors that dominate British society.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thecolourofpower.com/|title=The Colour of Power|website=www.thecolourofpower.com|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-07-06}}</ref> The results were reported in ''The Guardian'': "Barely 3% of Britain’s most powerful and influential people are from black and minority ethnic groups, according to a broad new analysis that highlights startling inequality despite decades of legislation to address discrimination".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/inequality/2017/sep/24/revealed-britains-most-powerful-elite-is-97-white|title=Revealed: Britain's most powerful elite is 97% white|last1=Duncan|first1=Pamela|date=2017-09-24|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-07-06|last2=Holder|first2=Josh|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
In 2019, Woolley called for local councillors to become more diverse, after it emerged that of the 200 councillors in [[South Gloucestershire]], [[Bath and North East Somerset]] and [[North Somerset]], none was from a black, Asian or minority ethnic background.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-47708724|title='Shocking' lack of diversity on councils|publisher=BBC News|date=2019-03-27|access-date=2019-06-16|language=en-GB}}</ref> In May 2019, Woolley and Operation Black Vote launched a ground-breaking report into more than 130 key local authorities that emphasised the lack of BME representation. In over one third of those local authorities, many with sizeable BME populations, they either had no or just one BME councillor.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/apr/26/portsmouth-and-brighton-among-least-representative-councils-for-bame-people |title=Portsmouth and Brighton among 'least representative councils for BAME people'|last1=Syal |first1=Rajeev |date=2019-04-25 |work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-07-06|last2=Clarke|first2=Amelia|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.obv.org.uk/node/12022|title=BAME Local Political Representation Audit 2019 {{!}} OBV |website=www.obv.org.uk|access-date=2019-07-06}}</ref>
Along with former [[10 Downing Street|Downing Street]] advisors [[Nick Timothy]] and [[Will Tanner]], Woolley is seen as the inspiration and one of the architects for the [[Government of the United Kingdom]] Race Disparity Unit, and he served as the Advisory Chair.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/now-we-must-act-to-unleash-a-deluge-of-untapped-talent-xv7p73n5t|title=Now we must act to unleash a deluge of untapped talent|last=Woolley|first=Simon|newspaper=[[The Times]]|date=2017-10-10|access-date=2019-07-06|language=en|issn=0140-0460}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.obv.org.uk/news-blogs/obvs-role-race-equality-audit|title=OBV's role in the Race Equality Audit {{!}} OBV|website=www.obv.org.uk|date=16 October 2017|access-date=2019-07-06}}</ref> He has worked with the Open Source Foundation on their global drugs policy projects. He secured £90 million of funding to encourage disadvantaged young people to work.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/apr/30/theresa-mays-social-mobility-promise-branded-a-failure|title=Theresa May's social mobility promise branded a failure|first=Peter|last= Walker |date=2019-04-30|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-06-16|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> When Operation Black Vote started, there were four black or minority ethnic [[Member of parliament|members of parliament]]; as of 2019, there are more than 50.<ref name=":1" /> Woolley has written for ''The Guardian'', ''[[Huffington Post]]'' and ''[[The Independent]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/profile/simonwoolley|title=Simon Woolley |website=The Guardian|language=en|access-date=2019-06-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/author/simon-woolley|title=Simon Woolley|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=2019-06-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/author/simon-woolley/|title=Simon Woolley|website=HuffPost UK|language=en|access-date=2019-06-16}}</ref>
On 30 March 2021, it was announced that Woolley had been elected as the next [[Master (college)|principal]] of [[Homerton College, Cambridge]].<ref name="elected">{{cite web |title=Lord Simon Woolley elected Principal |url=https://www.homerton.cam.ac.uk/news/ |website=Homerton College |publisher=University of Cambridge |access-date=15 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418231227/https://www.homerton.cam.ac.uk/news/Lord%20Simon%20Woolley%20elected%20Principal |archive-date=18 April 2021 |date=30 March 2021}}</ref> On 1 October 2021, he took up the appointment in succession to Professor [[Geoff Ward (academic)|Geoffrey Ward]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Lord Simon Woolley elected as next Principal of Homerton College |url=https://www.staff.admin.cam.ac.uk/appointments/lord-simon-woolley-elected-as-next-principal-of-homerton-college |website=For staff |publisher=University of Cambridge |access-date=15 October 2021 |language=en |date=2 April 2021}}</ref> Woolley is the first black man to be head of an [[Oxbridge]] college.<ref>{{cite web |title=Simon Woolley: First black man appointed head of Oxbridge college |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-56602762 |website=BBC News |access-date=15 October 2021 |date=1 April 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/simon-woolleys-journey-council-estate-26815735|title=Simon Woolley's journey from a council estate to Cambridge University and House of Lords|newspaper=[[Daily Mirror]]|first=Jason|last=Beattie|date=27 April 2022|access-date=12 April 2023}}</ref>
In 2022, Woolley's memoir ''Soar: My Journey from Council Estate to House of Lords'' was published, with a foreword by Rev. [[Jesse Jackson]] (Manilla Press/Bonnier Books).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.homerton.cam.ac.uk/homersphere/news/soar-my-journey-council-estate-house-lords|title=Soar: My Journey From Council Estate To The House of Lords|first=Laura |last=Kenworthy|publisher=Homerton College, University of Cambridge|date=13 April 2022|access-date=12 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.voice-online.co.uk/news/features-news/2022/09/20/we-have-the-power-to-change-the-system/|title='We have the power to change the system'|newspaper=[[The Voice (British newspaper)|The Voice]]|first=Lester|last=Holloway|date=20 September 2022|access-date=12 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thevibes.com/articles/podio/69950/beyond-breakfast-with-shazmin-shamsuddin-lord-simon-woolley|title=Beyond Breakfast with Shazmin Shamsuddin – Lord Simon Woolley|website=thevibes.com|date=29 August 2022|access-date=12 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://studentnewspaper.org/eibf-2022-simon-woolley-shaking-up-the-establishment-review/|title=EIBF 2022: Simon Woolley: Shaking Up the Establishment Review|first=Keisha |last=Frimpong|date=30 August 2022|access-date=12 April 2023}}</ref>
In July 2023, Woolley was a guest on [[Desert Island Discs|BBC Radio 4, Desert Island Discs]] and spoke of his love for his teenage son Luca and their shared musical tastes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC Radio 4 - Desert Island Discs, Simon Woolley, crossbench peer |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001p1n9|date=July 2023 |access-date=2023-07-23 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=":6" />
== Awards and honours ==
Woolley has been included in the ''[[Powerlist]]'' – which features the 100 most influential people of African or African Caribbean heritage in the United Kingdom – every year since 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.obv.org.uk/news-blogs/obv-s-simon-woolley-joins-black-powerlist|title=OBV's Simon Woolley joins Black 'Powerlist' {{!}} OBV|website=www.obv.org.uk|date= 29 October 2012|access-date=2019-07-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://melanmag.com/2018/10/27/influential-black-britons-honoured-in-powerlist-2019/|title=Who are the influential Black Britons honoured in Powerlist 2019?|last=Joses|first=Joy|date=2018-10-27|website=Melan Magazine|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-07-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/23/duchess-of-sussex-meghan-markle-in-top-100-on-powerlist-of-black-britons|title=Duchess of Sussex in Powerlist of top 100 black people in Britain|last=Rawlinson|first=Kevin|date=2018-10-23|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=2019-07-06|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> He was selected as one of the ''[[Evening Standard]]''{{'}}s Most Influential People in 2010.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.obv.org.uk/news-blogs/evening-standard-londons-1000-most-influential-people|title=Evening Standard: London's 1000 most influential people {{!}} OBV|website=www.obv.org.uk|date=17 November 2010|access-date=2019-07-06}}</ref> In 2010 and 2011, he was selected as one of ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]''{{'}}s 100 Most Influential People.
In 2012, he was awarded an honorary doctorate for his equality efforts from the [[University of Westminster]].<ref name=":3" /> He was made an Honorary fellow of [[Magdalen College, Oxford]] in 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.magd.ox.ac.uk/news/founder-of-operation-black-vote-lord-woolley-elected-honorary-fellow/ |title=Founder of Operation Black Vote Lord Woolley elected Honorary Fellow|publisher=Magdalen College, University of Oxford|date=15 January 2022}}</ref>
Woolley was appointed a [[Knight Bachelor]] in the [[2019 Birthday Honours]] for his services to race equality, thus becoming [[Sir]] Simon Woolley.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{London Gazette |issue=62666 |date=8 June 2019 |page=B2 |supp=y}}</ref> He said he had to think hard about accepting the honour: "Many black or minority ethnic individuals have to think hard about whether to take an award or not, particularly those offered an award with empire in its title ... It's a difficult choice and whatever decision they make I fully support them. In the case of the knighthood, I didn't have to make that exact call. It has more to do with medieval times and the 13th century than empire."<ref name=":1" />
Woolley was nominated for a [[life peer]]age to sit as a [[Crossbencher]] in the [[House of Lords]] by [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] [[Theresa May]] in her [[2019 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours|2019 Resignation Honours List]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/830278/Resignation-Peerages-2019.pdf|title=Resignation Peerages 2019|publisher=[[Cabinet Office]]|date=10 September 2019}}</ref> He was created '''Baron Woolley of Woodford''', of [[Woodford, London|Woodford]] in the [[London Borough of Redbridge]], on 14 October 2019.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=62800|date=18 October 2019|page=18716}}</ref> He sat on the Lords Youth Unemployment Committee from 28 January 2021 until 16 November 2021.<ref>{{cite web |title=Parliamentary career for Lord Woolley of Woodford |url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/4722/career |website=members.parliament.uk |publisher=UK Parliament |access-date=27 May 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
* [https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/qa/2022/09/simon-woolley-qa-i-often-say-i-am-a-disciple-of-martin-luther-king "Simon Woolley Q&A: 'I often say I am a disciple of Martin Luther King{{'"}}], ''[[New Statesman]]'', 7 September 2022.
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Woolley, Simon}}
[[Category:1961 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Alumni of Middlesex University]]
[[Category:Alumni of Queen Mary University of London]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of London]]
[[Category:Black British politicians]]
[[Category:British adoptees]]
[[Category:Crossbench life peers]]
[[Category:English democracy activists]]
[[Category:Knights Bachelor]]
[[Category:Life peers created by Elizabeth II]]
[[Category:Politicians from Leicester]]