Marie Claire UK - 11.2019

31

Womankind

As one of Westminster’s most straight-talking, no-nonsense MPs,

Jess Phillips knows a thing or two about calling out BS. Here, she

pays tribute to her four-foot-nothing nan, who taught her to call

a spade a spade, even when that spade is the Prime Minister

‘IF SOMETHING ISN’T

RIGHT, STAND UP AND DO

SOMETHING ABOUT IT’

Raisedby grans:

Jess, Labour MP

for Birmingham

Yardley (top), and

as a 23-year-old

with Nanny Jess

(above), who was

in her nineties

Learning to stand up for myself didn’t come
tome in an epiphany – it was my culture.
I guess you could say that I was raised by wolves.
Both of my parents were strident political
campaigners,and in my house you were
as likely to hear the phrase, ‘This isn’t
right, we’ve got to do something about
it!’ as you were to hear, ‘Pop the kettle
on, bab.’ The folklore of my family
always revolved around things
people had done to stand up to
bullies and bigots. I remember how
proud my parents were of my
brother, Joe, when he took on
the local bully as he was
picking on our neighbour.

As I was raised by
wolves, so too were
my parents,and when
asked who taught me to
be a stroppy madam
who will not quit if
something is not
right, the answer is
my nan and grandma.
When I was little, I spent
my formative years in the
homes of my grandparents while
my parents were at work. My
grandmothers lived streets apart from each other
and were hard, working-class women. They knew
painand hardship and it had made them tough.
They were generous and kind, and were certain
about right and wrong – and didn’t mind telling
you, or anyone, if you fell on the wrong side.

My favourite story about my Nanny Jess
(my namesake) is the time she was on the
top deck of a bus with lots of people,
includinga load of skinheads who were abusing
the only Asian bloke. It was the early 80s and she
was in her seventies. While everyone looked out of

thewindow, my tiny four-foot-nothing nan went

andsat next to him, then turned to this gang of

racists and told them that racists was what they

wereand asked them why they had no humanity

for their fellow man. I don’t think she clipped

themround the ear, but the threat was probably

there, and miraculously they quietened down.

I’m glad to say that race relations have

moved on a bit since the 80s,but I think we

have lost some of the grit of my grandparents’

generation. They definitely gave that to me.

I have stood up to school bullies; I have

stopped dangerous fights in the street;

I have walked into the middle of angry

protests and stood my ground. My

grandparents and my parents taught me

thatyou should call a spade a spade, even

if that spade is the Prime Minister.

Nowadays, we worry too much about

offending people or saying

the wrong thing. Today, we

desperatelywant to be more

likemy granny and stride up

to people and give them what

for, but something stops us.

There is no better feeling

in the world than the

euphoria you get from

calling out bullshit. The

buzz I feel in my chest when

I swallow my fear and rise to

my feet in Parliament to fight

back, or when I stand up to those who don’t like

peoplewho are gay or of colour. People cheer the

braveand, as they cheer, they are wishing they had

done or said something, too. Being brave in the

faceof conflict was the way. Nothing changes if we

donothing. My nan knew that and so should you.

Let’sbe more Nanny Jess.

Truth to Power: 7 Ways to Call Time on BSby Jess

Phillips MP is out in October (£9.99 , Monoray)