Serena Cowdy

Serena Mary Cowdy (born 1980) is a blogger, former actress, and a freelance political journalist. She has written for The House, the in-house magazine of the British houses of Parliament, The Huffington Post, and PoliticsHome, among other publications. She has a special interest in nationalism in politics due to her family connections in Ireland.

Early life

Serena Cowdy was born in Peterborough in 1980.[1] Her father was an actor and civil servant. Her parents divorced when she was seven and Cowdy was subsequently raised solely by her father in London after her mother remarried. Her grandfather on her mother's side, Andrew King, was an actor. Cowdy is of English and Irish ancestry.[2] She obtained a degree in modern history from St Hilda's College, Oxford University.[3]

Career

Cowdy had an early career acting in short films and television adverts before turned to blogging and freelance political writing.[4][5] She has written for The House, the in-house magazine of the houses of Parliament, The Huffington Post, and PoliticsHome.[6] She has a particular interest in nationalism in politics, having made a special study of Irish nationalism at university and cites Michael Collins as a particular hero.[2]

Personal life

In May 2016, questions were raised about the expenses claims of two Scottish National Party members of the House of Commons, Stewart Hosie and Angus MacNeill who were reported to have had a relationship with Cowdy.[7][8][9][10] Both MPs were reported to the Parliamentary expenses watchdog by a Conservative Party MP over their expenses claims,[11] however, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Kathryn Hudson, ruled that there was no basis to launch an inquiry into the matter.[12] The SNP's deputy leader, Stewart Hosie MP, subsequently resigned from his position, due to the "intense scrutiny" of his private life by the media.[13][14]

References

  1. ↑ England & Wales births 1837-2006 Transcription. Retrieved 19 May 2016. (subscription required)
  2. 1 2 A Political Experience I Will Never Forget - What's Yours? Serena Cowdy, Huffington Post, 11 April 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  3. ↑ Brazen self publicist who confessed. Neil Sears, Mail Online, 18 May 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  4. ↑ Meet woman at the heart of tawdry love triangle that led to the breakdown of two SNP MPs' marriages. Annie Brown, Scottish Daily Record, 24 May 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  5. ↑ She has exactly the right qualities to be a Westminster mistress. Sonia Purnell, The Times, 22 May 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2016. (subscription required)
  6. ↑ Sarah Vine's vicious takedown of Serena Cowdy is no surprise: this is how Westminster treats women. Hannah Fearn, The Independent, 18 May 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  7. ↑ Married SNP MPs in 'love triangle' face questions over expenses claims. Tom Morgan, Auslan Cramb, Harry Yorke, The Telegraph, 18 May 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  8. ↑ Two SNP MPs accused of having affairs with same Westminster reporter following deputy party leader's marriage split. Keith McLeod, Scottish Daily Record, 17 May 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  9. ↑ Scots MPs’ marriages end after alleged affairs with journalist. Kevin Rawlinson, The Times, 17 May 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  10. ↑ Why is Westminster such a hotbed of scandalous sex? Rosa Prince, The Telegraph, 20 May 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  11. ↑ SNP MPs reported to expenses watchdog by Tory MSP. BBC News, 18 May 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  12. ↑ Expenses of SNP MPs Hosie and MacNeil 'will not be investigated'. BBC News, 26 May 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  13. ↑ SNP's Stewart Hosie to quit as deputy leader. BBC News, 22 May 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  14. ↑ SNP deputy leader quits after ‘affair with journalist Serena Cowdy’. Amy Willis, Metro, 22 May 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
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