With the forthcoming General Election on everyone’s minds, what better opportunity to reflect on some of Putney High School’s own political connections?

Today, Putney students learn debating and study History & Politics and PPE (Politics, Philosophy and Economics). Many may well be destined for careers in the spotlight, but did you know that our alumnae already include some extremely high powered commentators and politicians?

We currently have four Baronesses representing the three main parties:

Liz Symons – Labour (Class of 1968)

Elizabeth Conway Symons, Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean, PC (born 14 April 1951), is a British politician and former General Secretary of the FDA Trade Union and a Minister of State. From 2010, Baroness Symons has served as the Chairman of the Arab British Chamber of Commerce.

Virginia Bottomley, Con (nee Garnett) (Class of 1966)

Virginia Hilda Brunette Maxwell Bottomley, Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone, PC, DL (née Garnett, born 12 March 1948) is a British Conservative Party politician. She was a Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons from 1984 to 2005 – was Health Secretary. She was raised to the peerage in 2005.

Camilla Cavendish, Con (Class of 1986)

Hilary Camilla Cavendish, Baroness Cavendish of Little Venice (born 20 August 1968) is a British journalist and former Director of Policy for Prime Minister David Cameron. Cavendish became a Conservative Member of the House of Lords in Cameron’s resignation honours, but resigned the party Whip in December 2016 to sit as a non-affiliated peer.

Olly (Rosalind) Grender, Lib Dem (Class of 1981) 

Olly, Baroness Grender is a former Head of Communications for the Liberal Democrats and a party life peer. Her career has spanned the world of politics, government, the voluntary and corporate sectors.  She has run communications operations and campaigns in all four.  She was drawn into the Liberal Party by Community Politics in 1981 and has worked for the Party locally and nationally since.

Ursula Owen (class of 1955) was in 1990 appointed director of the Paul Hamlyn Fund and cultural policy advisor to the Labour Party. The fund was established to promote and develop Labour’s cultural policies under the Shadow Arts Minister Mark Fisher in the run-up to the 1992 general election.