Upper Cut [Paperback]

'Seventy percent of my constituents are white, Karen. I have to be a politician, who happens to be black. Not a black man who happens to be a politician.'

Karen loves politics. She's a rising star but on the eve of a general election she risks her career and reputation on a bitter and contentious fight over whether to allow short lists for black Parliamentary candidates.

Deselected by her party, and betrayed by the men she loves, Karen must embark on a relentless road to power and political redemption.

Provocative and raw,Upper Cutunravels the fight for diversity and black representation through today's coalition politics, the hope and rebirth of New Labour and delves into the troubled heart of a Labour party struggling under the might of Thatcher's Tory revolution.Upper Cutis inspired by true political events.

Juliet Gilkes Romerois of Caribbean descent, was born in East London and grew up in Suffolk. She has been a television journalist with the BBC for many years but left the corporation last year to become a full-time writer. Juliet's playUpper Cutreceived a rehearsed reading at the TARA Theatre in 2013. Her playRazing Canewas shortlisted for the Alfred Fagon Award.One Hot Summer, a radio play, aired as an Afternoon Play on BBC Radio4 in 2012. In 2009 Juliet won the Best Play Award at the Writers' Guild of Great Britain Award for her playAt the Gates of Gaza(Birmingham Rep and UK tour '08). Juliet was part of Hampstead Theatre's Writers' Attachment Scheme and wroteSergine, performed at An Evening for Haiti fundraising event there in January 2010.