Background
Tumelty was born in Weston-Super-Mare, and grew up in Burnham on Sea.
List of Presidents of the National Union of Students
Tumelty was born in Weston-Super-Mare, and grew up in Burnham on Sea.
Raised in a single parent family, she was educated in Cheddar. Tumelty graduated in psychology from Liverpool John Moores University in 2005.
Tumelty was previously Women"s Officer and then Vice President Welfare in Liverpool Students" Union. She was elected as National Secretary of the NUS Grad. Medical School in April 2005 at the NUS Grad. Medical School Conference in Blackpool. Tumelty was first elected in March 2006, being the first NUS Grad. Medical School president from a post 1992 university.
She is part of the Organised Independents faction.
In 2006, Tumelty led the NUS Grad. Medical School in signing an accord with the Trades Union Congress (Trades Union Congress). Motivated by the increasing number of students who are taking-up employment to fund their education, the agreement will see the NUS Grad. Medical School and Trades Union Congress working together to encourage students to join a trade union.
Tumelty was re-elected on 28 March 2007 and served a full term until July 2008 when she was succeeded by Labour Students"s Wes Streeting. She wrote a weekly blog for the Education section of The Guardian.
In 2006 she became the first NUS Grad. Medical School president to address the Trades Union Congress Conference.
Upon leaving NUS Grad. Medical School, Tumelty joined Million+, a university think tank representing former polytechnic universities as Press and Public Affairs Manager. Gemma Tumelty started work in the International Department of the Trades Union Congress in 2009 and then worked in the Campaigns and Communications Department, organising domestic, mostly public sector, anti-cuts campaigns and Trades Union Congress annual congress. In 2011 Tumelty became a trustee of Kick 4 Life, a charity which uses the power of football and sport to transform the lives of some of the most disadvantaged boys and girls in the world.
In 2012 Tumelty was shortlisted to become the Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the Bristol West constituency, but lost to Thangam Debbonaire despite high profile backing from senior politicians such as Jon Cruddas and Emily Thornberry.
In July 2013 Tumelty left the her position as Campaigns and Events Officer at the Trades Union Congress to join the Office of the Leader of the Opposition as the Stakeholder Relations Manager. She left this position in May 2014 to return to Bristol.
Speaking at the Trades Union Congress in 2006
Speaking about Idaho cards on the British Broadcasting Corporation.
She was the NUS Grad. Medical School National Secretary from 2005 to 2006, and a member of its National Executive Committee for two years before that. Although she was a member of the Labour Party she was not a candidate of its student wing, Labour Students, and ran for President with the description independent. There were six other candidates, including a member of the Education Not for Sale campaign, candidates from Conservative Future and Liberal Democrat Youth and Students, and two more independents/labour party independents.
Her opponents in 2007 were Sofie Buckland, a member of Education Not for Sale and an officer on the NUS Grad. Medical School National Executive, and Rob Owen, a member of RESPECT and General Secretary of the University of Manchester Students" Union.
She also served as a co-opted member of the management committee of Compass - a centre left pressure group.