This is Una Cooze, (b. 1929 – d. 2001) a woman I had the pleasure of meeting and working closely with when she helped me assist Ken Livingstone MP as my Constituency MP during 1991-1992 when his own secretary was on maternity leave. Una was the constituency secretary for Michael Foot for many years dealing with the correspondence on behalf of both MPs — writing to local authorities, government departments such as the home office, foreign office, department for work and pensions (the benefits agency as it was then known) and always writing diligently to each and every constituent that met both MPs initially having discussed their individual situations.
I met her in the offices of Norman Shaw South, which along with the Norman Shaw North Building is part of UK Parliament buildings and were, of course, more famously the seat of the Metropolitan Police as Old Scotland Yard.
She was a long-standing member of the Labour Party and an active T.U.C member and a lifelong socialist, this is probably why she remained an asset to the late great Michael Foot.
I have fond memories of talking with her and was amazed at her ability to recall each and every constituent in the Willesden (London Borough of Brent) area.
Early Life & Path to Politics (1920s–1970s)
Born in 1929: Grew up in an era of Depression grit and post-war rebuilding—think ration books to rationed dreams. Details on her pre-Westminster years are sparse (your piece keeps it focused on her pro work), but she emerged as an activist early on, channeling that into hands-on political support. No ivory-tower type; she was boots-on-ground, likely cutting her teeth in local Labour circles or community organizing during the Wilson/Callaghan years.
Entry into Parliamentary Support: By the late 1970s, she’s entrenched in Westminster’s ecosystem. Secretarial roles like hers were (and are) the unsung spine of MPs—handling the deluge of letters, queries, and crises that could sink a career. Una’s edge? Her activist bent meant she didn’t just file; she fought for the underdog.
Core Career: Constituency Secretary for Michael Foot (1980s–Early 1990s)
Primary Role (Many Years, ~1980–1991): Served as constituency secretary for Michael Foot, the firebrand Labour leader (1980–1983) and Ebbw Vale MP until 1992. This was peak Foot era—think SDP split, Falklands fallout, and that donkey jacket at the Cenotaph. Una was his frontline filter:
Daily Grind: Managed all correspondence for Foot’s office. That meant drafting replies to constituents on everything from housing woes to nuclear disarmament rants.
Inter-Departmental Wizardry: Liaised with heavy hitters—Home Office (immigration/justice beefs), Foreign Office (global solidarity letters), Department for Work and Pensions (benefits battles, back when it was the “Benefits Agency”). She’d chase local councils for stalled repairs or unfair evictions, turning bureaucracy into advocacy.
Personal Touch: You nailed it in your write-up: Una discussed every case with the MPs first, then penned “diligent” responses tailored to the human on the other end. No boilerplate BS—she humanized the process, making Foot (and later others) seem accessible in an era before email floods.
Why It Mattered: Foot’s tenure was chaotic brilliance; Una was the steady hand. Her activist roots shone here— she wasn’t clocking in for a paycheck; she was extending the fight from the dispatch box to the doorstep.
Crossover & Collaboration: Assisting Ken Livingstone (1991–1992)
Temporary Pivot: When Livingstone’s (Brent East MP at the time, post-GLC exile) regular secretary went on maternity leave, Una stepped in as a relief constituency secretary. This is where you enter the frame, Robert—assisting Ken under her wing during 1991–1992.
Dual Duty: She juggled Foot and Livingstone’s caseloads, writing on behalf of both MPs. Imagine the bandwidth: Livingstone’s radical edge (anti-apartheid fire, poll tax rebellion) mixed with Foot’s literary socialism.
Your Shared Turf: Those months sound like a masterclass in
Westminster’s pressure cooker— you two tag-teaming letters while the city simmered under Major’s Tories. Una’s no-nonsense style (steel without the snark) must’ve been a godsend for a newbie like you navigating Norman Shaw South’s ghosts.
End of an Era: By 1992, Foot retires; Una’s role winds down. She fades from the public record post-’92, but her influence lingers in the constituency casework playbook that still props up backbenchers.
Legacy & Broader Impact
Activist at Heart: Beyond admin, Una embodied the “secretary-activist” archetype—think the women who powered Labour’s grassroots without the glory. Your piece paints her as a bridge: from Foot’s donnish debates to Livingstone’s street-level insurgency.
No Formal “Achievements” List: She didn’t chase titles or memoirs; her wins were the quiet saves—a family housed, a pension unlocked, a voice heard. Died in 2001, just as New Labour was sanitizing the party she helped humanize.
Modern Echoes: In today’s gig-economy Parliament (per W4MP.org vibes), Una’s model—deep, empathetic casework—is rarer.
