Karen Wilkie
Karen is the Deputy General Secretary and the Board Secretary to the Co-operative Party. She also leads on policy in Wales and works closely with the Co-operative Group of Assembly Members. Karen is currently leading the Party’s strategy to increase the number of women selected and elected as Labour and Co-operative candidates.
She has worked for the Co-operative Party since 1995, and is based in Cardiff.
Prior to joining the Co-operative Party’s staff, Karen spent twelve years in local government – as a Labour Group Research and Policy officer, and in Equal Opportunities and Education. She was also a trade union representative from the age of 18 and the first Equal Opportunities Officer for Derbyshire NALGO. She was a member of the NUS National Executive, and President of NUS Wales in 1991/92.
Karen is currently Chair of Welsh Labour and serves on the Welsh Executive Committee and the Economy Commission. She is a Board Member of ProMo Cymru and Elan Wales, and a founder member of Co-operatives & Mutuals Wales.
She was born in the Peak District but has been in South Wales for over twenty years, and now lives in Cardiff with her husband and two children. She is a Welsh learner.
k.wilkie@party.coop 020 7367 4171
Listed among: Party staff
- Co-operative Party submission to Welsh Commission (26 Apr 2013)The Co-operative Party has submitted written evidence to the Welsh Government’s Co-operatives and Mutuals Commission. Deputy General Secretary Karen Wilkie outlines our case. The Commission posed a number of questions for the movement to respond to – all very pertinent to how the Welsh Government could help co-ops – which it should. What these may [...]
- A mutual future for Welsh Railways (28 Nov 2012)Today in the Welsh Assembly Labour/Co-operative AM Vaughan Gething and rail expert Paul Salveson are launching a report titled ‘Rail Cymru: A People’s Railway for Wales’. This report begins to set out a vision for a railway in Wales that is owned by and for the people of Wales, bringing together communities, employees and passengers. The [...]
- The Co-operative Party at Labour Party Conference (25 Sep 2012)The Co-operative Party has announced its events at Labour Party Conference which takes place in Manchester next week. We are hosting a varied set of fringe meetings, training events and socials, with partners including CSM, Movement for Change, Compass, the Fabians and Labour Students. We look forward to seeing delegates in Manchester – the Co-operative [...]
- South East Co-operative Party Day School, Reading (24 Aug 2012)A Conference/Day School for members of the South East Co-operative Party is being held on 24 November. It will take place in the Reading International Solidarity Centre, 35-39 London Street, Reading , RG1 4PS. This is about 10 minutes walk from Reading station. Speakers include Colin Wilkes on Co-operative Schools, Cllr Steve Reed on Co-operative [...]
- In tribute to Margaret Bondfield, support the Labour Women’s Network (8 Jun 2012)On this day in 1929, Margaret Bondfield became Minister of Labour in the newly formed Labour Government. This was a great day for Labour, and for politics too – Margaret Bondfield was Britain’s first ever female Cabinet Minister. Bondfield had made history many times by 1929. A leading trade unionist, she published a report to [...]
- Survey: Women in the Party (7 Mar 2012)Women are under-represented in the Party, not only in Westminster, the Scottish and Welsh Governments and in local councils, but as members and activists. Only one third of new members joining are women. We need to address this. We need to know why fewer women are joining the Party, and we need to know why [...]
- Marking International Women’s Day (7 Mar 2012)The Co-operative Party Women’s Network was established for women in the Party to co-operate to help each other, offering their time and talents, experience and expertise. To celebrate International Women’s Day, some of our current women in politics offer some words of advice and inspiration to our aspiring politicians. The best piece of advice anyone [...]
- Support for ASLEF’s proposals for Welsh railways (1 Mar 2012)The Welsh Co-operative Party was pleased to be able to second a motion from ASLEF, the rail union, at the recent Welsh Labour Party conference, calling for a not-for-dividend provider of rail services in Wales. Conference notes figures from the Office of Rail Regulation which state that the Welsh rail franchise is the most heavily [...]
- The Co-operative Party at Welsh Labour Conference (16 Feb 2012)The Co-operative Party will be at the Welsh Labour Conference this coming weekend in Cardiff, looking ahead to May’s local government elections. We will be launching our Co-operative Agenda for Welsh Local Government at the Co-operative Party and Co-operatives and Mutuals Wales Fringe meeting, 5.30pm, Saturday 18 February 2012, Room 22, Swalec Stadium. Speakers – Alun [...]
