I’m Ruba, and I’m a county councillor for St Augustine’s ward in Penarth in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Full statement

I was elected in 2017, and am now vice chair of the Environment and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee, as well as the Equalities and Poverty Champion for the Vale. I also work as Senior Caseworker for Stephen Doughty MP in a busy constituency office, conducting constituency casework and liaising with ministers and government departments to resolve local issues and support constituents.

I originally trained as a barrister at Doughty Street, a leading human rights chambers where I specialised in Criminal Defence, moving from there to work in policy and campaigns for organisations such as the Maternity Alliance and Disability Rights UK. I was also Secretary to the All-Party Parliamentary Disability Group based in the House of Lords.

My own politics have been influenced by beginnings; my parents were immigrants; my mother was widowed when I was 9 and then worked long hours in the NHS to ensure that her children could get a decent state education. I was the first person in my family to go to university, and I will always be grateful for the values my mother taught me.

I moved to Penarth in South Wales ten years ago with my husband and three children and volunteered for Citizen’s Advice. I now spend a lot of time face to face with the people of South Wales, listening to them and helping them to find solutions to the challenges they face. It’s here where I see Labour’s values and policies come to life, offering hope, support, opportunity and equality to everyone in our communities. The journey to a fairer and more equal society is far from over, but I do believe that by sharing those values on the ground in local wards all over the UK Labour really can make a difference.

One thing I’m delighted to see getting off the ground at the moment is Project Zero, the Labour-led Vale of Glamorgan’s response to the climate emergency. It’s an ambitious project which aims to tackle the climate emergency by reducing the Council’s carbon emissions to net zero by 2030. At the same time it encourages our partners and other communities to make positive changes. I’m also really proud that our labour led council continues to fund and support the Vale Youth Services in projects such as Rights Ambassadors and Girls Rights as well as its commitment to Penarth Youth Action, which is open to all 11 – 18 year olds. I really want to offer a platform for the next generation to speak about and to shape the world in which they will live and work.

I really enjoy my work as a local Councillor, trying to support the whole community and make politics a reality on the streets where I live, building a brighter future together.

Away from politics, you’ll find me at the theatre, cinema and gallery or first thing every morning at the pool.