Jenny Tonge, Baroness Tonge
The Baroness Tonge | |
|---|---|
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal | |
| In office 27 June 2005 – 19 February 2021 Life Peerage | |
| Member of Parliament for Richmond Park | |
| In office 2 May 1997 – 11 April 2005 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Susan Kramer |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jennifer Louise Smith 19 February 1941 Walsall, England, UK |
| Political party | Independent (2016–present) |
| Other political affiliations | Liberal Party (1959–88) Liberal Democrats (1988–2012) Independent Liberal Democrat (2012–2016) |
| Spouse | Keith Tonge (m. 1964–2013, his death) |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | University College, London |
Jennifer Louise Tonge, Baroness Tonge (née Smith; born 19 February 1941) is a British politician. She was Member of Parliament (MP) for Richmond Park from 1997 to 2005. In June 2005 she was made a life peer as Baroness Tonge, of Kew in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, which entitled her to a seat in the House of Lords.
Critical of Israel and vocal in support of the Palestinian cause, controversial acts and comments led to accusations of antisemitism and to her eventual suspension from the Liberal Democrats group in the Lords in 2012, then her suspension and resignation from the party itself in October 2016. She sat as an independent in the Lords from 2012 until her retirement in 2021.