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 because Southampton deserves better than the Conservative MP it has. Our city still has significant levels of poverty which will only get 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, negotiate a Brexit deal that puts 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 the many, not just the few. 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 schools to raise standards and aspirations, and now Southampton has some of the most improved schools in the whole of Hampshire.

Labour has an inspiring manifesto that reaches out to every section of society. 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.