Autobiography of Catholic trade union leader

Catholic author Greg Watts’ latest book tells the story of one of Britain’s most influential trade union leaders. Your Seat is at the End. My Story is the autobiography of Baroness Margaret Prosser, former deputy general secretary of the T & G and president of the TUC. Tony Blair has written a foreword.

Educated at St Philomena’s Convent School in Carshalton, Baroness Prosser married young. Soon after her husband had a stroke. She spent eight years caring for him and their three children while living in a tower block and surviving on social security benefits.

At the age of 40 she went back to school and eventually landed a job with the male dominated Transport and General Workers Union. She fought for working women to be given equal rights and fair pay.

She also became involved in the international trade union movement, travelling to Chile, Palestine, Russia and other countries to support women’s rights. She went on to become one of the most senior union officials in Britain and later became treasure of the Labour Party. She entered the House of Lords in 2004.

“I did most of my interviews with Margaret at the House of Lords, and I found being at the heart of power absolutely fascinating. It was great fun spotting well-known faces hanging up their coats and supermarket carrier bags in the lobby,” said Greg.

In his foreword Tony Blair writes: “Margaret was one of the most remarkable people I came across in politics. Often when asked about great people I have met and about those who were an inspiration for me, the anticipated answer is usually some world leader. However, it is more often the case that the most inspirational are people behind the headlines, people with extraordinary life stories, people who overcame all the odds and did brilliantly despite it all. Margaret was such a person.”

This is Greg Watts’ fifteenth book. He is probably best known for From Gangland to Promised Land, which tells the story of how John Pridmore left behind the East London criminal underworld.

Your Seat is at the End. My Story by Margaret Prosser with Greg Watts, priced £9.99, is available from Amazon.