About

The website creator software’s instructions are to ‘enter a brief description about yourself – e.g. your hobbies and interests.’ I think that’s been pretty well covered by the rest of the site, so instead, copying what is probably, by the time you’re reading this, an outdated Facebook meme, here are seven things you may or may not wish to know about me:

1. I used to spend most Saturdays watching Barnet FC; my first political activity was helping to organise a Keep Barnet Alive march. I haven’t been to football for years but I still wear my Barnet FC hat every winter.

2. I love trees and could probably describe every street tree within about a two mile radius. After a big storm I don’t relax until I’ve checked all my favourites have made it.

3. I’m only happy when it rains.

4. I’ve worn a long skirt pretty much every day since I was in my teens. My grandmother was horrified when I bought my first one; she said her generation hadn’t fought to be allowed to shorten their skirts just for me to go and let them down to my ankles again.

5. I met my first revolutionary socialist when I was 16. That year he sent me a Christmas card of a panda with a Mao cap drawn on it. He said it was a ‘mutant Chinese commie panda’.

6. I accidentally dressed in all black when I visited Salem, Mass. and spent the whole day wondering why people were looking at me strangely and pulling small children aside as I passed.

7. I’m a sucker for cats. But you knew that.