A Labour Whip once revealed that in their office they sang songs about certain backbenchers. In the case of the Member for Maryhill, their choice was ‘How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?’

A frank account of fourteen years in Westminister from the rebellious Maria Fyfe – the only female Labour MP in Scotland when she was first elected. Fyfe recounts some of the most significant moments of her political career, from the frustrating and infuriating, to the rewarding and worthwhile.

A significant aim of writing this book was to set the record straight on that period in our UK Parliament. Another aim was to encourage interest in a political life when widespread cynicism discourages good people from thinking about it. MARIA FYFE

Covering some of the most turbulent years of British and Scottish political history, A Problem Like Maria takes the female’s perspective of life as an MP in the male-dominated Westminister. This book reaches the parts of politics some people hope you never reach.

The intimidating Maria Fyfe sounds like strong Scottish domestic drama. Edward Pearce, LONDON EVENING STANDARD
The terrifying Maria Fyfe stamped in … her of the sharpened claws. Matthew Parris, THE TIMES
An incorrigible Bevanite. THE OBSERVER

The intimidating Maria Fyfe sounds like strong Scottish domestic drama. Edward Pearce, LONDON EVENING STANDARD
The terrifying Maria Fyfe stamped in … her of the sharpened claws. Matthew Parris, THE TIMES
An incorrigible Bevanite. THE OBSERVER

MARIA FYFE was the only female Labour MP from Scotland when she was first elected in 1987. She was an MP for fourteen years for Glasgow Maryhill. In that time, she campaigned for poverty-stricken areas of the city in Parliament before stepping down in 2001. She has always been strongly politically active, campaigning for the equal representation of women in government.