The dominant economic approach of the last thirty years is now on its last legs. Letting the market rip and an indifference to inequality are now seen as important causes of the greatest economic crash since the 1930s.

In February 2013 Frances O'Grady was assessed as the 11th most powerful woman in the United Kingdom by Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4. She was a fan of drama and by the age of 17 was also learning about the world of work. Her grandfather was a founder member of the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union and her father was a shop steward at the Leyland car plant in Cowley.