Former Labour MP Lorna Fitzsimons was in government for 8 years, but has been a natural campaigner for causes her whole life. This is despite only learning to read at age 13 due to her dyslexia!
She grew up in Lancashire and struggled mightily in school due to her reading difficulties. A talented artist, she completed a BA in Textile Design in 1988. During this time, the government tried to close her school, and her passion for politics began.
She plunged into reading everything she could about government education policy, and was soon campaigning on behalf of the National Union for Students, where she became President. This brought her into an influential political circle.
She was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Labour Party at under 30 years of age – a huge achievement and quite a rare one! In an interview, she reflected on how far she had come at that moment
“People like me don’t become members of parliament; unemployed parents, lower working class, dyslexic, two O Levels, artist – it’s not exactly your normal member of parliament profile.”
Since leaving government, she has picked up a number of causes in her time as a political consultant. She now runs two independent businesses.
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Sarah Forrest is a Literacy Specialist for the Easyread System, an online program for children with dyslexia, poor reading and spelling ability, weak auditory processing, and more. Get a free 10-day trial at www.easyreadsystem.com
