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Why I'm standing

Southampton Itchen is my home. I live in Bitterne Park, and I’ve served both Peartree and Bargate wards as Councillor. Over the years I’ve campaigned across the whole constituency, so I know our neighbourhoods and issues well.

I’m standing to be Labour's candidate quite simply because I love it here, and want to do everything I can to make it an even better place. There's so much going for the city, and so many people working to make our communities a great place to grow up and live. But there are still significant levels of poverty which keep getting worse the longer we have a Tory government. I will campaign door-to-door across the constituency until every Itchen resident knows that a Labour government will protect the NHS they value, properly fund their children’s schools, put jobs and people first, and end the worsening situation with housing and homelessness.

I only had the chance to go to university because of an aspirational Labour government that extended opportunities like that to everyone, not just a few privileged types. I want that opportunity for this generation, and it pains me to see our public services being starved of resources by this Tory government, so I’ve campaigned for more investment in our NHS, I’ve lobbied with teachers, trade unions, and families against school funding cuts, and I’ve challenged and supported schools to raise standards and aspirations for young people growing up here.

Labour is gaining trust again across the country. We have a strong and motivated local team of members which can keep on growing. Now we need a local candidate with experience of listening to and representing our communities: I will do what it takes to make this winning combination work and once again see a Labour MP representing Itchen.