Everyone at Burma Campaign UK is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Glenys Kinnock. For decades, Glenys was a relentless advocate for human rights in Burma.
Whatever platform she had, as a campaigner, an MEP, a British government minister, a shadow minister and as a member of the House of Lords, she used it to highlight the need for stronger international action against the Burmese military.
Glenys used her contacts and ability to open the doors of the powerful to ensure human rights advocates from Burma could make their voices heard at the highest levels of the European Union and British government, including taking delegations of activists from Burma to meet Prime Ministers Blair and Brown.
As Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Democracy in Burma, Glenys made sure the voices of activists from Burma were heard in the British Parliament as well.
There was nothing Glenys would not do to help, including persuading her husband Neil to dance on stage with a brown paper bag over his head at a benefit performance with John Hegley.
Glenys had no truck with excuses made by government ministers or officials for failing to do more to promote human rights in Burma, always encouraging us not to put up with their ‘nonsense’.
Serving on the board of Burma Campaign UK, Glenys was a source of great inspiration and encouragement to the young women from Burma who worked and volunteered with Burma Campaign UK.
Glenys was always busy, always in a rush, but always there for us when we needed her support, and always with a sense of humour and informality.
It’s impossible to list all the different ways Glenys helped the work of Burma Campaign UK, but every day we are guided by two of her rules of advocacy. Whenever she heard from us or people from Burma about what was going on, she had two questions. What should be done about it? Who should be doing it?
She was a very special person. We’ll miss you so much Glenys. Thank you for everything.