Lauren Booth
| Lauren Booth | |
|---|---|
| Born | Sarah Booth 22 July 1967 Islington, London, England |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Spouse(s) | Craig Darby |
| Children | Alexandra Booth, Holly Booth |
| Notable relatives | Tony Booth (father) Pamela Smith (mother) Cherie Blair (half-sister) |
| Religious belief(s) | Islam [1][2] |
| Official website | |
Lauren Booth (born Sarah Booth 22 July 1967, Islington, London) is an English broadcaster, journalist and pro-Palestinian activist.[3] She works for Iran's English language news channel, Press TV.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
[edit] Family
Lauren Booth is a half-sister of Cherie Blair and the sixth daughter of the actor Tony Booth; her mother is Pamela Smith (Cohen). She is the sister-in-law of former British prime minister Tony Blair. She was married to actor Craig Darby and the couple have two children, Alexandra and Holly. Her mother was Jewish although Lauren was not brought up a practising Jew.[4]
[edit] Journalistic career
As a journalist, Booth has written for the New Statesman, the Mail on Sunday, the Sunday Times and the Daily Mail. She is a vocal opponent of the Iraq War and a supporter of the Stop the War Coalition; a member of Woodcraft Folk, Media Workers Against the War and the National Union of Journalists. She has been a panellist on the BBC's Have I Got News For You, and a broadcaster on radio and television. She writes columns and features, mainly for the Mail on Sunday. She regularly reviews the UK newspapers on television for Sky News, BBC One and BBC News 24.
In both 2005 and 2006 Booth travelled to the West Bank where she has interviewed Mahmoud Abbas. She gave two speeches on the condition of those living in the West Bank and Gaza, for the Royal Geographical Society and Arab Media Watch.
As of 2010, Booth presents In Focus on the UK's Islam Channel, and Between The Headlines on the Iranian-owned Press TV.[5][6]
In June 2011, Booth joined Cageprisoners as a patron.[7]
[edit] Reality TV
In 2006 she was a contestant on the ITV reality show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, donating the money she raised to charity Interpal (Palestinian Relief and Development Fund).
[edit] Gaza activism
In August 2008 she travelled to Gaza by ship from Cyprus, along with 46 other activists,[8] to highlight the blockade of the Gaza Strip and deliver hearing aids and balloons to a deaf school in Gaza. Booth elected to remain behind in Gaza, and was subsequently refused entry into both Israel and Egypt. She said that she believed that, by refusing her the right to leave Gaza and return to her home country, Israel was in breach of Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, specifically regarding freedom of movement.[9] Booth stated that she believes the "situation in Gaza is a humanitarian crisis on the scale of Darfur" and called Gaza "the largest concentration camp in the world today", although the Jerusalem Post suggested that several photographs of Booth in a well-stocked Gaza grocery "bel[ied] the grim picture she painted of the Strip".[10] During her visit, Booth received a Palestinian VIP passport from Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniya.[11] Booth left Gaza through the Rafah Border Crossing into Egypt on 20 September 2008.
[edit] Religious conversion
Booth appeared at the Islam Channel's Global Peace and Unity event on October 23, 2010, dressed in loose clothing and with a hijab, declaring: "My name is Lauren Booth, and I am a Muslim".[12] She explained that she converted to Islam in mid-September, 2010, after her visit to the Shia Fatima al-Masumeh Shrine, dedicated to the sister of eighth Imam Ali Al Rida, in Qom, Iran.[2][13]
[edit] Personal bankruptcy
In December 2010, Booth filed for bankruptcy.[14] One of her creditors is her half-sister, Cherie Blair.
[edit] References
- ^ "Lauren Booth replied to readers questions". Press TV. 2010-10-27. http://www.presstv.ir/detail/148483.html. Retrieved 2010-10-27.
- ^ a b "Why I love Islam: Lauren Booth defiantly explains why she is becoming a Muslim". London: Daily Mail UK. 2010-11-01. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1325231/Why-I-love-Islam-Lauren-Booth-defiantly-explains-Muslim.html. Retrieved 2010-11-01.
- ^ Blair's relative 'stuck in Gaza'. BBC News (2008-09-02). Retrieved on 2012-02-21.
- ^ Johnston, Jenny (30 October 2010). "'I would do anything for Cherie. Lauren? I don't even love her': Tony Booth reveals the diverse emotions he feels for two of his daughters". Daily Mail (London). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1324985/Cherie-Blair-I-says-father-Tony-Booth-reveals-diverse-emotions-feels-high-profile-daughters.html.
- ^ Aloha Palestine – The Founders[dead link]
- ^ Press TV official website. Presstv.com. Retrieved on 2012-02-21.
- ^ UPDATE: Lauren Booth and Sami Al Hajj join Cageprisoners as patrons, Cageprisoners, June 28, 2011
- ^ "Gaza: UN expert welcomes landing of ships carrying human rights activists". UN News Centre. 25 August 2008. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=27814&Cr=palestin&Cr1. Retrieved 5 July 2010.
- ^ BBC coverage of Lauren Booth's Middle East activism. BBC News (2008-09-02). Retrieved on 2012-02-21.
- ^ AFP Photo. Gettyimages.com. Retrieved on 2012-02-21.
- ^ Butcher, Tim. (2008-09-02) Photo: EPA (Image 2 of 2). Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved on 2012-02-21.
- ^ Wilkes, David (25 October 2010). "After Blair's conversion to Catholicism, his sister in law says: I'm a Muslim". Mail Online (London). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1323412/Tony-Blairs-sister-law-Lauren-Booth-says-Im-Muslim.html. Retrieved October 27, 2010.
- ^ Carter, Helen (24 October 2010). "Tony Blair's sister-in-law converts to Islam". guardian.co.uk (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/oct/24/lauren-booth-converts-to-islam. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
- ^ Kay, Richard (30 December 2010). "Lauren Booth is Bankrupt". Mail Online (London). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1342545/Lauren-Booth-bankrupt-owes-sister-Cherie-Blair-15-000.html. Retrieved January 1, 2011.
[edit] External links
- Lauren Booth at the Internet Movie Database
- Interview with Lauren Booth on Press TV about her conversion to Islam
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