Matthew Bolton grew up in Forest Hill, southeast London.  He read Social and Political Science at King's College, University of Cambridge, where he received a Double First and was twice awarded the prestigious Doncaster Prize in Sociology.  Since graduating he has worked as a Community Organiser with London Citizens, the largest diverse and independent community alliance in the UK.  He has had major responsibility for two campaigns in particular: the Living Wage campaign, which seeks to secure a minimum hourly wage of £7.20 for all Londoners, and the Strangers into Citizens campaign, which calls for seeks an amnesty for illegal immigrants in the UK.  The Living Wage Campaign has lifted thousands of families out of working poverty and Strangers into Citizens continues to successfully acquire extensive political support.  His interests include fantasy (right now Phillip Pullman), going raving, and Tottenham Hotspur.