Thomas Penny, the 2021 Swarmore Lecturer, has worked as a journalist for 29 years, most recently as UK political correspondent for Bloomberg News, covering four prime ministers, three referendums, two recessions and one pandemic.
He is a member of South East London Area Meeting and a part of the clerking team for Blackheath Meeting. He has served on Quaker Communications Committee and the Parliamentary Liaison Committee and spent 10 years as a volunteer youth worker on national events for young Friends. When not working he can be found digging his allotment or playing guitar and singing.