Education
O'Toole attended Sacred Heart Convent School in Fenham, Newcastle upon Tyne, then studied at Northumbria University.
Member of the European Parliament politician
O'Toole attended Sacred Heart Convent School in Fenham, Newcastle upon Tyne, then studied at Northumbria University.
During this period, O'Toole also served as a Labour Party councillor in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. O'Toole then completed a PhD at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, then became a lecturer in Government and Public Policy, first at the University of Bristol, then at Newcastle. At the European Parliament election, 1999, she was elected for the Labour Party in North East England from third on the party list.
She lost her seat in 2004, despite being moved up to second on the party list. O'Toole was on an all-woman shortlist to be the Labour candidate in the safe seat of Bishop Auckland at the 2005 general election, but was not selected.