Jean Lambert
Encyclopedia
Jean Denise Lambert is an English
politician, and Member of the European Parliament
for the London Region
. A member of the Green Party of England and Wales
, she has been an MEP since 1999. One of two Green
MEPs from the UK
, the other is Keith Taylor, Lambert is a Vice-President of the Greens/European Free Alliance Group of MEPs.
in Grays
, Essex.
Lambert gained a BA
in Modern Languages in 1971 from University College, Cardiff
, before taking a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)
from St Pauls'
College (Francis Close Hall), Cheltenham (now the University of Gloucestershire
) and gaining an ADB (Ed.) in 1975. She then worked as a secondary school teacher in Chingford
, East London, first from 1972-8, then from 1985-9 and finally between 1993 and 1999. She also holds a Professional Development Certificate (BTEC), which she achieved in 1998.
in 1977 (later becoming the Green Party of England and Wales
), Lambert has held numerous positions, including Co-Chair of the Party Council (1982–1985), Principal Speaker
(1992-3 and 1998-9), Chair of the Party Executive (1993-4), Representative to the Federation of European Green Parties (1987-9 and 1998-9) and Political Liaison to the Green Group in the European Parliament (1989–1992). She is currently the party's Employment, Social Affairs and Pensions Spokesperson.
Lambert was first elected to the European Parliament
in 1999 from the London Region
, winning 87,545 votes (7.7% share). She was re-elected in 2004 with 8.4% of the vote (158,986 votes) and again in 2009 with 10.9% of the vote (190,589 votes). As a Member of the European Parliament
, she is or has been a member or substitute of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee, the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee, the Subcommittee on Human Rights, the Intergroup on Disability and Gay and Lesbian Rights and Delegations to South East Asia, Japan and India. She is Vice-President of the Intergroup on Ageing, the Intergroup on Anti-poverty and the Intergroup on Anti-racism and Diversity. She was Rapporteur on the Parliament's Asylum Report. She is Vice-President of the Greens/European Free Alliance Group of MEPs, in which she is the Spokesperson on Asylum and Refugees.
She is an active campaigner for the London Living Wage.
.
, in 1996. Furthermore, she has made a film in 2006, EU4U! Your voice can make a difference!, highlighting the ways young people can make a difference within EU structures.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
politician, and Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
for the London Region
London (European Parliament constituency)
London is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 8 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :The constituency corresponds to Greater London, in the south east of the United Kingdom....
. A member of the Green Party of England and Wales
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
, she has been an MEP since 1999. One of two Green
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
MEPs from the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the other is Keith Taylor, Lambert is a Vice-President of the Greens/European Free Alliance Group of MEPs.
Early life and career
She attended Palmer's Grammar School for GirlsPalmer's College
Palmer's College is a sixth form college for 16 - 19 year olds in Thurrock, Essex, England. With an 'outstanding' Ofsted inspection in 2007, the College was awarded Beacon status in 2008...
in Grays
Grays
Grays is the largest town in the borough and unitary authority of Thurrock in Essex and one of the Thurrock's traditional parishes...
, Essex.
Lambert gained a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Modern Languages in 1971 from University College, Cardiff
Cardiff University
Cardiff University is a leading research university located in the Cathays Park area of Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. It received its Royal charter in 1883 and is a member of the Russell Group of Universities. The university is consistently recognised as providing high quality research-based...
, before taking a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)
Postgraduate Certificate in Education
The Postgraduate Certificate in Education is a one-year course in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for undergraduate degree holders that allows them to train to be a teacher....
from St Pauls'
St. Pauls, Cheltenham
St. Pauls is one of a number of areas of the Cotswold town Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. St. Pauls is home to the Francis Close Hall, a campus of the University of Gloucestershire, St. Paul's Church, and many leisure facilities. Numerous stories exist of the gallows that were once housed...
College (Francis Close Hall), Cheltenham (now the University of Gloucestershire
University of Gloucestershire
The University of Gloucestershire is a university primarily based in Gloucestershire, England, spread over four campuses, three in Cheltenham and one in Gloucester...
) and gaining an ADB (Ed.) in 1975. She then worked as a secondary school teacher in Chingford
Chingford
Chingford is a district of north east London, bordering on Enfield and Edmonton to the west, Woodford to the east, Walthamstow and Stratford to the south and Essex to the north. It is situated northeast of Charing Cross and forms part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest...
, East London, first from 1972-8, then from 1985-9 and finally between 1993 and 1999. She also holds a Professional Development Certificate (BTEC), which she achieved in 1998.
Green Party Politician and MEP
After joing the Ecology PartyGreen Party (UK)
The Green Party was a Green political party in the United Kingdom. It has been succeeded by three political parties:* the Green Party of England and Wales* the Green Party in Northern Ireland* the Scottish Green Party- PEOPLE, 1973–1975 :...
in 1977 (later becoming the Green Party of England and Wales
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
), Lambert has held numerous positions, including Co-Chair of the Party Council (1982–1985), Principal Speaker
Principal Speaker
Principal Speakers were the public spokespersons of the Green Party of England and Wales but have since been replaced in the party by a national Leader and Deputy Leader...
(1992-3 and 1998-9), Chair of the Party Executive (1993-4), Representative to the Federation of European Green Parties (1987-9 and 1998-9) and Political Liaison to the Green Group in the European Parliament (1989–1992). She is currently the party's Employment, Social Affairs and Pensions Spokesperson.
Lambert was first elected to the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
in 1999 from the London Region
London (European Parliament constituency)
London is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 8 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :The constituency corresponds to Greater London, in the south east of the United Kingdom....
, winning 87,545 votes (7.7% share). She was re-elected in 2004 with 8.4% of the vote (158,986 votes) and again in 2009 with 10.9% of the vote (190,589 votes). As a Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
, she is or has been a member or substitute of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee, the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee, the Subcommittee on Human Rights, the Intergroup on Disability and Gay and Lesbian Rights and Delegations to South East Asia, Japan and India. She is Vice-President of the Intergroup on Ageing, the Intergroup on Anti-poverty and the Intergroup on Anti-racism and Diversity. She was Rapporteur on the Parliament's Asylum Report. She is Vice-President of the Greens/European Free Alliance Group of MEPs, in which she is the Spokesperson on Asylum and Refugees.
She is an active campaigner for the London Living Wage.
Non-Party Activism and Advisory Roles
Outside her work in the Green Party, Lambert is involved in numerous NGOs. Since 1991, she has been a Council Member of Charter 88, the democratic reform NGO, as well as an Executive Supporter and Signatory for Charter 99, described as "an initiative for global democracy". She has been Vice-President of the Waltham Forest Race Equality Council from 1999. She is a Trustee of the Dalit Solidarity Campaign UK. She is also on Advisory Boards of the Work-Life Institute and London Metropolitan UniversityLondon Metropolitan University
London Metropolitan University , located in London, England, was formed on 1 August 2002 by the amalgamation of the University of North London and the London Guildhall University . The University has campuses in the City of London and in the London Borough of Islington.The University operates its...
.
Awards
Lambert was named Justice and Human Rights MEP of the Year 2005, the first year these awards were held.Academic career
Lambert has written numerous reports and articles on her areas of interest, especially democracy and human rights, sustainable development, anti-discrimination, social inclusion, minority rights, trade union and workers' issues and asylum and refugee rights. She wrote No Change? No Chance, a book on Green politicsGreen politics
Green politics is a political ideology that aims for the creation of an ecologically sustainable society rooted in environmentalism, social liberalism, and grassroots democracy...
, in 1996. Furthermore, she has made a film in 2006, EU4U! Your voice can make a difference!, highlighting the ways young people can make a difference within EU structures.
See also
- Charter 88
- Charter 99
- Greens/European Free Alliance
- Green Party of England and WalesGreen Party of England and WalesThe Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
- London RegionLondon (European Parliament constituency)London is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 8 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :The constituency corresponds to Greater London, in the south east of the United Kingdom....
- Member of the European ParliamentMember of the European ParliamentA Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...