Tamsin Omond

Tamsin Omond (born 19 November 1984)^[1] is a British author, environmental activist and journalist. She has campaigned for the government of the United Kingdom to take action to avoid man-made climate change.

In 2009, she was included in the Sunday Times list of "Top 30 Power Players Under-30".

Early life and education

Having completed her secondary education at Westminster School, Omond graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge, and also has an MA degree in Ecology and Social Justice from the Open University. When she had first left college she had intentions of being a major theologian of the church, including aspirations of becoming the first female Archbishop of Canterbury.^[2] She is the granddaughter of Sir Thomas Lees, a baronet.^[3][4]

Campaigner

In 2009, she published her first book, Rush - The Making of a Climate Activist.^[5] Omond has written articles about Christianity, climate change and human rights. She has been published in the Church Times, The Ecologist, The Guardian, The Evening Standard and The Mail on Sunday.^[6]

Omond originally campaigned as a member of the activist group Plane Stupid, although she has stated that she is no longer active with the group.^[7] Omond is a founding member of the activist group Climate Rush.^[8] She has organised a number of high profile protests including scaling the roof of the House of Commons to protest against aviation, for which she was arrested and bailed on the condition that she did not enter Parliament. In October 2008, she breached this condition by organizing a 500 person "rush" on the Parliament of the United Kingdom.^[3] This led to her being re-arrested and threatened with imprisonment due to her breach of bail. Instead she was then bailed with a strengthening of her bail conditions to ban her from going within one kilometre of Parliament.^[9] This bail condition has now been lifted and Omond is now free to enter Parliament.^{[citation needed]}

Omond has also organised protests against the Expansion of London Heathrow Airport. In May 2008, she said that she would be prepared to be imprisoned for life for her cause.^[10][11][12]

Omond claims that her activism has been inspired by the Suffragettes, who had campaigned using direct action for Women's suffrage in the United Kingdom at the beginning of the 20th Century. An independent film has been made about Omond's connection to the campaigning techniques of the women's suffrage movement. Omond dressed as a suffragette for an anti-car protest targeting Jeremy Clarkson.^[13]

Media profile

Omond was included the Daily Mail's list of people to watch in 2010.^[14] She was placed in the Sunday Times's Top 30 Power Players Under-30.^[15] Omond was also placed in 56th place in the Independent on Sunday's 2009 "Pink List", a list of the 101 most influential gay men and women in Britain.^[16] In 2011, Omond was placed in 3rd place in the Daily Mail's 50 "most powerful posh people in Britain under 30",^[17] and in 2012 in Tatler's list of 'people who matter'.^[13]

2010 general election

Omond stood in the 2010 General election in the newly created Hampstead and Kilburn constituency. She has created a new independent party, The Commons. They plan to engage young people in voting and promote sustainability in the local area.^[18] It was also praised by commentator Giles Coren.^[19] She received 123 votes (0.2% of total votes cast).^[20]

References