Beginning as a City Councillor for Birmingham City, Edwina went on to work as the Chairman of Central Birmingham Health Authority. In 1983, she stood for parliament as a Conservative Party candidate and was elected as the member for South Derbyshire.
Edwina’s time in political office included time spent as the aide to Sir Keith Joseph at the Department of Education and Science, and as a government minister at the Department of Health and Social Science during Margaret Thatcher’s period as Prime Minister. She worked alongside some of the biggest names in Tory politics during the 1980’s and was involved in a number of high profile debates and political actions during her time in office.
Frequently outspoken, she was described as “a virtually permanent fixture on the nation’s TV screen saying something outrageous about just about anything”. One of the moments which marked her time in politics was her 1988 warning over salmonella in British eggs, which sparked outrage among farmers and egg producers and ultimately led to her forced resignation.
Despite this setback, Edwina made amends by setting up the National Egg Awareness Campaign and carving out a career for herself on television, becoming the first Conservative MP to appear on BBC show Have I Got News for You. Even after she lost her parliamentary seat in the 1997 General Election, she maintained a media presence by appearing on television and radio, hosting a number of shows and even writing several books and novels.
Outspoken and opinionated, Edwina is an excellent keynote and after-dinner speaker. Her vast and varying personal experiences have provided her with a range of subjects upon which to speak whilst her own strong beliefs and charming personality make all her presentations utterly captivating.
