Emma has spent much of her career as a journalist writing for design and architectural magazines, with a specialism in the Spanish contemporary period. Her MA thesis was on politics and architecture in the early years under Franco, and she is currently researching a PhD on architecture during the whole Franco period. She has written three books and contributed to several others.

Since 2006, she has worked on the cliff-face as a local councillor in Kensington and Chelsea; one of her favourite buildings, Trellick Tower, is in her ward. She has written and lectured extensively on the tower, its local meaning, and its future, and was on the board of the TMO that manages council homes for six years. She is now Planning Spokesperson of the Labour Group on RBKC, while maintaining her interest and research in design, architecture and planning.