Tess Kingham

Who is Tess Kingham?

Teresa Jane Kingham is a Labour Party United Kingdom politician. She was Member of Parliament for Gloucester from 1997-2001.

Kingham was educated at Dartford Grammar School for Girls, and got a BA from Royal Holloway, University of London, a PGCE from the University of East Anglia and a Masters Degree in Egyptian Archaeology from University College London. She is currently studying for a PhD in Biological Anthropology at the University of Kent.

Kingham was elected as MP for Gloucester in 1997, but retired from Parliament in disillusionment after one term, having complained publicly about the antiquated ways of working in the Palace of Westminster. She later expressed dissatisfaction with the old boys network in the House of Commons, accusing various members of "endlessly thrusting their groins around the Chamber in mock combat" and "indulging in yah-boo nonsense, point-scoring and silly games". While in Parliament Kingham successfully campaigned to change laws to protect firefighters and to get a nationwide cystic fibrosis screening programme for newborn babies. She was a Member of the International Development Select Committee.

Kingham is married to Mark Luetchford, a civil servant, trustee of War on Want and author of "Waging the War on Want", the official history of the organisation. They have three children.