Jess Phillips

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Agent: Laura Macdougall

Laura Macdougall

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Assistant: Eleanor Horn

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Jess Phillips is the Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley. She was first elected in 2015 and became Chair of the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party in September 2016. Before elected as an MP, Jess worked with victims of domestic violence, sexual violence and human trafficking, and she continues to speak up on behalf of those who struggle to have their voice heard.

Jess has worked with the Home Office, the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Communities and Local Government on issues of Violence Against Women and Girls. She is one of the women who launched the #NotTheCost campaign to combat the violence faced by politically active women, and the Reclaim the Internet campaign, which challenges online abuse.

Jess has written three books; ‘Everything You Need to Know About Politics: My Life as an MP’ (2021) and ‘Truth To Power: How To Call Time on B.S’ (2019), both Sunday Times Bestsellers, and her debut book was: Everywoman: One Woman's Truth About Speaking the Truth (2018).

Jess lives with her husband and two sons in Birmingham, where she was born and raised.

Current publication:

LET'S BE HONEST - Simon & Schuster - 8th August 2024

From culture wars to clickbait, it’s fair to say that politics has lost some of its integrity, and we’ve all suffered as a result. If it hadn’t almost wrecked the country with calamitous consequences in nearly every sector of public life, it would be funny. We’ve let our standards drop – but we deserve better.

Jess Phillips believes in democracy, and the people she meets give her cause for optimism even if sometimes politicians really (really) don’t. At once a laugh-so-you-don’t-cry takedown of the state of Westminster in recent years and a rallying battle cry for bringing truth back to politics, this book will make you angry, cheer you up and give you hope.

Previous publications:

EVERYTHING YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT POLITICS: My Life as an MP - Simon & Schuster - 22nd July 2021

From the sublime to the ridiculous, the inner workings of Westminster are often a mystery to an outsider. Here, Jess Phillips lifts the lid on the systems and rules that govern us all, and in her own inimitable style shows us what's really going on in British politics. Drawing on her tenure as an MP, she will explain the process of running for government; changing a law; serving her constituents; wrangling with her fellow MPs and so much more. This is the perfect book for anyone who's a bit confused about how it all works...

A SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

'Chatty and anecdotal' - The Times Magazine

'A robustly autobiographical, entertaining attempt to demystify life in Westminster' - The Observer

‘Honest, funny and very revealing. Her conclusion in particular, “Why we need politics” is essential' - Adam Kay

'Funny and really readable' - Jeremy Vine, BBC Radio Two

THIS IS HOW WE COME BACK STRONGER - Feminist Book Society - 23rd March 2021

Hard-hitting but ultimately uplifting, published on the one-year anniversary of lockdown for the US and the UK, This Is How We Come Back Stronger is an essential intersectional feminist collection for our times. In essays, interviews, fiction, and more, forty feminist writers from both sides of the Atlantic reflect on what matters most to them right now, and what comes next. Jess Phillips contributes.

MOTHER - The Pound Project - March 2021

In this personal and exclusive book, Jess explores the life, influence and passing of her mother Jean, the impact of having her own children, what it’s like to be a working mum in Westminster, the current climate and why women shouldn’t be defined or stigmatised by the choices they make.

TRUTH TO POWER : 7 Ways to Call Time on B.S - Octopus - 2019

A SUNDAY TIMES BEST SELLER

'Will ruffle some feathers.' - Stylist

'There's nobody else at Westminster quite like Jess Phillips. She is fearless and funny, riotous and rebellious, maverick and mischievous.' - The Times

EVERYWOMAN: One Woman's Truth About Speaking the Truth - Windmill - 2018

SHORTLISTED FOR THE PARLIMENTARY BOOK AWARDS 2019

'Her humour and passion shine through every page. Loved it!' - Robert Webb

'All the laughs of Lena Dunham and Caitlin Moran... funny and wise' - Spectator

'Joyfully candid and very funny' - Guardian

'Phillips is the kind of political force we need' - Stylist

Non-Fiction

Publication Details	Notes
Everywoman 2017 Penguin Random House	If you’re thinking, ‘Jess, who?’ then I’m glad that there was something about ‘Everywoman’ and ‘truth’ that caught your eye. Or you might already know me as that gobby MP who has a tendency to shout about the stuff I care about. Because I’m a woman with a cause, I have been called a feminazi witch, a murderer and threatened with rape. The internet attracts a classy crowd. So, speaking the truth isn’t always easy but I believe it’s worth it. And I want you to believe it too. The truth can be empowering, the truth can lead to greater equality, and the world would be incredibly boring if we let all of those people who allegedly know everything, say everything. By demanding to be heard, by dealing with our imposter syndrome, by being cheerleaders, doers not sayers, creating our own networks and by daring to believe that we can make a difference, we can. We’re women and we’re kick-ass. And that’s the truth.
Truth To Power 2019	Speaking truth to power takes courage. Jess Phillips shows you how to identify the problem, form a plan, and to speak out using the exact same tools that those who have been put on a pedestal of being 'brave' have used to deal with the fear, the conflict and - let's be honest - the awkwardness that can come from telling your boss, your family, your neighbour that something is bullsh*t. As well as offering inspiration and hope from her own experiences Jess talks to high-profile people on the world stage who have been brave enough to risk everything, become whistle-blowers and successfully fight back. Truth to Power will help you change things. It will help you slam down that manager in the office you have tolerated for years; or tell your mate that you hate the way they talk about your husband or wife. It will help call out bullies in all walks of life. It will help you rally support and fight the fight against injustice - even though the odds seem stacked against you.

Publication Details

Notes

Everywoman

2017

Penguin Random House

If you’re thinking, ‘Jess, who?’ then I’m glad that there was something about ‘Everywoman’ and ‘truth’ that caught your eye.

Or you might already know me as that gobby MP who has a tendency to shout about the stuff I care about. Because I’m a woman with a cause, I have been called a feminazi witch, a murderer and threatened with rape. The internet attracts a classy crowd.

So, speaking the truth isn’t always easy but I believe it’s worth it. And I want you to believe it too. The truth can be empowering, the truth can lead to greater equality, and the world would be incredibly boring if we let all of those people who allegedly know everything, say everything.

By demanding to be heard, by dealing with our imposter syndrome, by being cheerleaders, doers not sayers, creating our own networks and by daring to believe that we can make a difference, we can.

We’re women and we’re kick-ass. And that’s the truth.

Truth To Power

2019

Speaking truth to power takes courage. Jess Phillips shows you how to identify the problem, form a plan, and to speak out using the exact same tools that those who have been put on a pedestal of being 'brave' have used to deal with the fear, the conflict and - let's be honest - the awkwardness that can come from telling your boss, your family, your neighbour that something is bullsh*t.

As well as offering inspiration and hope from her own experiences Jess talks to high-profile people on the world stage who have been brave enough to risk everything, become whistle-blowers and successfully fight back.

Truth to Power will help you change things. It will help you slam down that manager in the office you have tolerated for years; or tell your mate that you hate the way they talk about your husband or wife. It will help call out bullies in all walks of life. It will help you rally support and fight the fight against injustice - even though the odds seem stacked against you.