Quotes from Jess Phillips

Pressure and protest is fine, but using fear and threats to force politicians to sing to a certain tune will be the death of our democracy.

I refuse to believe this rhetoric that the Labour party can't get under one big umbrella with a common enemy - sometimes a common enemy is an absolutely delightful unifier.

But when I'm asked a question I will answer it honestly. There is no spin here.

Rhe language of politics is experienced by most as spin with the assumption of dishonesty.

The ability to say 'I was wrong' or to own up to your mistakes is very powerful. I teach my children that admitting fault is the quickest way to stop the problem, move on and get on with whatever it is you should be doing.

It might be easy to brush away the febrile atmosphere online as a nasty byproduct of free expression: it's less easy when it happens to you.

The politics of hope is harder to spread than the politics of hate.

I will stand up for all of those who feel they can't stand up for themselves.

I have felt the force of what governments can do. I remember my elder son being in the first cohort of kids who got a free nursery place, I remember the palliative care my mother got at home as I watched her die.

For me socialism has never been an intellectual pursuit. It comes from my upbringing and experience.

I am utterly ambitious. I'm ambitious for the sake of being so, too.

The Labour party is not perfect but I have seen in my own life how it is the greatest vehicle for positive hopeful social change.

In the world of fiction, politics usually appears considerably more exciting than it is.

I under no circumstances want to be seen as a victim. I have worked with victims of sexual violence and I don't have a candle to hold to the experiences of those victims.

I'm a believer in forgiveness. I have worked with people who have been in gangs and now dedicate their lives to helping inner city kids. I've run offender services with teachings of responsibility, empathy and understanding of the victims at their heart. I've seen people change.

Regardless of how people love to deride politicians, democracy is not an easy gig. My decisions, views and heartfelt principles are dismissed by so many as careerist, opportunist or attention-seeking.

I loathe and detest people who pretend they don't care what people think about them as if that is a virtue, when it is simply rude.