I was born and raised in Southampton and have lived in the city my entire life, being brought up in Shirley and living there throughout my childhood until my early 20s.

Full statement

I’ve always been active in the local community and growing up in Shirley, I learned the value of community as my mum and I often relied on community initiatives – these were important then and they are even more so important now.

I have campaigned across Southampton for Labour in every general and local election for the last 7 years and speaking with residents on the doorstep is something I really love. Every week, I campaign in Shirley with fellow Labour members and, combined with it being a place I know very well anyway, it’s given me a great oversight and further understanding of the issues residents face. Spending my entire working life working within local government has given me a really clear idea of what issues council’s face and, as a resident of the city, I also understand the importance of having a strong and principled Council, being held to account and backing its residents to make the city a better place.

The Labour Party and the City of Southampton, specifically Shirley, are two of the things I am most passionate about and I will do absolutely everything to ensure that I am best representing myself, the Party and most importantly, the residents.