A LOCAL, EXPERIENCED, CONFIDENT VOICE FOR CARLISLE My family have lived in Carlisle for generations.

Full statement

Walk across Eden, Harraby or St Nicholas bridges and you'll find my Great Grandfather's name on the plaque commemorating their opening. My mam was a Carr's cracker packer and later a homehelp. After serving in the second world war, dad worked as a painter and decorator at Norweb.

I grew up in a small terraced house in Denton Holme, went to Robert Ferguson and Trinity schools and my first fulltime job was at 14MU. Like other working class families, mine believed in working hard to give your children a better future. I was the first person in my family to go to university. After graduating, I - like many of our young people - moved away from Carlisle for work. I managed an MP's office, responding to hundreds of constituent enquiries. That's why I know that being an MP isn't a part-time job. It's the job. And it's time Carlisle had a fulltime MP.

I worked in the voluntary sector, campaigning for disabled people and for laws to safeguard children. As a senior manager in industry I shaped policies and regulation to protect millions of consumers.

I'm the mother of a student nurse so I don't need to watch the news to know that the Tories have pushed our doctors, nurses, paramedics, health assistants and care staff to breaking point. After 14 years of Conservative failure waiting lists are never ending, seeing a GP is increasingly difficult and local people have more chance of winning the lottery than they have of registering with an NHS dentist. Yet again the Conservatives have proved that our health service is not safe in their hands.

In 2021 I founded a charity to save Carlisle's Victorian Baths because I have confidence in our city. I have confidence that a Labour Government will unleash the potential of our city. And I am confident that I have the experience to be a strong voice for our city in Parliament.

Get in touch and let's realise Carlisle's potential together.