Whittome says she became interested in politics in 2013 due to the effects of the "Bedroom tax" and austerity on her local community. She worked in the constituency office of the Member of Parliament (MP) for North West Durham Pat Glass, Shadow Minister of State for Europe, during the 2016 European Union referendum campaign. She completed an access course at Nottingham college, and law at Nottingham University for two years, before dropping out for financial reasons. She contested the 2017 Nottinghamshire County Council election as the Labour candidate for the West Bridgford West ward, coming second.