I am the Welsh Labour and Co-operative Member of Parliament for Cardiff South & Penarth.

Full statement

I was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Cardiff South and Penarth in November 2012 and served as PPS to the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, followed soon after as an Opposition Whip working with the Business and Wales teams whilst also serving on the Welsh Affairs Select Committee. I was then promoted to Shadow Trade and Industry Minister, and then Shadow Foreign Office Minister - before returning to the backbenches, where I have served on the influential International Development, Arms Export Control and Home Affairs Committees.

Alongside this, I chair the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on HIV/AIDS, and also sit as the Vice-Chair of the Army Group in the APPG on the Armed Forces, Vice Chair of the APPG on Climate Change, and as the Secretary of the APPG on Somaliland. Additionally, I have also completed the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme which involved me spending time with our brave Armed Forces around the country and abroad.

I have been a longstanding supporter of the People’s Vote campaign, and play a key part in cross-party alliances to oppose the Government’s disastrous Brexit policy. I am also a member of the More United Network promoting cross-party working on the biggest challenges we face such as climate change and mental health.

I currently live in Cardiff South and Penarth - having been born and brought up in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. I attended Llantwit Major Comprehensive School, before moving on to study in Canada and then Oxford and St Andrews Universities. For many years I worked in a range of campaigning roles in international charities including World Vision and Oxfam, which included working on campaigns such as the Robin Hood Tax campaign and Make Poverty History.

As a senior policy adviser on poverty, development, trade and humanitarian affairs to Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP during his time as Secretary of State for International Development in the last Labour Government – I played a part in responding to international disasters like the Haiti earthquake, pushing to help make healthcare and education free for some of the world’s poorest people, and tackling global challenges like climate change.

Since 1987 I have been an avid supporter of the Bluebirds and am still a season ticket holder, whilst also being a big rugby fan. I have previously volunteered as a Cub and Scout Leader, as well as carrying out other voluntary roles in the community. I have also previously worked as constituency caseworker – dealing directly with the concerns of local people in South Wales, and worked with former Cardiff South and Penarth AM, Lorraine Barrett. As a Christian I am a member of Christians on the Left, and Vice-President of Labour Campaign for International Development.

I am a GMB trade union member, and a proud member of the Co-operative Party.