
I am very pleased to have been selected as the prospective Parliamentary candidate for Colchester
MY STORY
I was brought up in Southend in a family dedicated to public service. My mum had been a midwife in the East End before becoming a nurse, health visitor and then a Community Health Lead. My dad left school at 15 and was apprenticed as a joiner before joining the church and becoming a minister. They had grown up in hardship and felt it their duty to step up and gave back. They were pragmatic and principled, and they passed on those values to their children.
Both my sisters became nurses in south Essex. One is now a diabetes specialist, the other now co-leads a food bank. I went to university, did a PhD and became an academic. I’ve specialised in the history of marginalised women and girls and their treatment by the criminal justice and care systems. I’ve always been committed to using my research to promote social justice.
In recent years I’ve advised the Victims Commissioner on the code of victims’ rights, worked with Colchester Borough Council on tackling the causes of anti-social behaviour, and evaluated the work of Hertfordshire Police on so-called ‘honour-based violence’ against women. I was a lay member of the Suffolk Family Justice Panel for several years and I worked with local authorities and third sector organisations to develop new services for mothers in Ipswich whose babies had been taken into care. I’m proud to say that other services inspired by that work have since been rolled out across the country.
I’ve also presented two BBC television series on labour history: one on servants and another on shopgirls. I was very pleased to be able to tell the stories of women who are so often ignored in standard accounts of the past.
Elected as a councillor in May 2021, I see my role as driving change. I helped the Labour Group and local party develop a manifesto ahead of this year’s local elections. I’ve pushed for revisions in our local economic strategy to bring growth and jobs to Colchester. In my role as Portfolio-holder for Culture and Heritage I’ve pressed for our excellent cultural institutions to work together to attract more visitors to Colchester. I want our new city status to deliver prosperity for our people.
As a ward councillor, I've worked with Cllr Kayleigh Rippingale and Cllr Sam McLean on the 'Reclaim the Folleys' campaign, tackling the causes of anti-social behaviour in public spaces, supporting community gardens, allotments and orchards and reviving the New Town youth club.
In short, I have a proven track record in creating progressive change. I want to take that to national level and co-create change in Colchester.
My local supporters include:
Pauline Bacon
Community Councillor, UNISON & LGBTQ activist
Catherine Bickersteth
Educational Consultant & Colchester CLP BAME Officer
Sarah Bruce
Local Activist, Colchester West Branch
Abbie Chambers
Colchester CLP Disability Officer
Carlene Cornish
Colchester resident & Co-Chair Tackling Racism Taskforce, UEA
Cathy Crawford
Former UCU branch chair, University of Essex
Neil D'Arcy-Jones
Theatre director & writer
Nicola Davey
Greenstead community organiser
Scott Edmonds
Teacher, and NEU member
Kevin Finnigan
Chair of Colchester Fabians & Colchester Food Bank Volunteer
Tony Gardner
Actor & Equity executive member
Rod Green
Former Labour Parliamentary candidate
Beth Holford
Treasurer, Colchester CLP West Branch
Brian Hooper
Former National Executive Council member, FBU
Ben Howard
Founder, Keep Colchester Cool
Alison Inman
Co-founder, SHOUT social housing campaign
Charlie Jasper
Teacher and NEU rep
Dorian Kelly
Arts & culture consultant
Sheila Kelly
Former head teacher
Syd Kent
Former Chair, Colchester Trades Council
Cllr Sam McLean
Borough Councillor, New Town & Christ Church ward
Jordan Newell
Former Labour Parliamentary candidate
Pete Newell
Trustee, Colchester Night Shelter & Volunteer, Migrant Action
Jim Pey
Former Deputy Principal, Colchester Sixth Form College
Jan Plummer
Secretary, Essex Unite Community
Cllr Kayleigh Rippingale
Borough Councillor, New Town & Christ Church ward
Louise Sears
Advanced Nurse Practitioner
Ray Sharp
Trustee, Greenstead community organisation
Rev David Thomas
Former Rector of Wivenhoe
Cllr Martyn Warnes
Borough Councillor, Berechurch ward
Cllr Tim Young
Borough Councillor, Greenstead ward
Souzan Yousif
Founder, Bridgeway Mission for refugee families
Why I want to be your MP
Working for Colchester
Campaigning and creating change
Colchester badly needs a Labour MP and a Labour government to deliver social justice for a country divided by a decade of Tory misrule. We need decent investment in our public services and decent treatment for the people who work in them. We need a dynamic, sustainable economy that shares the benefits of green growth.









Workers’ rights & wellbeing
I stand for:
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Strong unions to win fair pay, contracts and conditions
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Enforcement of laws and regulations to protect non-unionised workers
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Working with unions and trades councils to promote union membership
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Green economic development to bring secure, well-paid jobs to Colchester
Health & social care
I stand for:
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A National Care Service to bring high standards and decent conditions for carers and those they care for
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An end to NHS privatisation and a return to the core principles of free healthcare
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Fair pay and conditions for all NHS employees and contractors
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Better access to GPs, dentists and primary healthcare
Housing
I stand for:
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An end to central government restrictions on council house building
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Support for renters unions to challenge bad landlord and letting agent practices
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Tougher measures to improve the performance of social housing providers
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Government support for safe, warm homes fuelled by green energy
Climate emergency
I stand for:
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A 'green new deal' to decarbonise the economy and generate sustainable, inclusive growth
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Convening a 'Colchester Climate Commission' to to tackle the climate emergency
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Promoting community energy solutions to end fuel poverty
Transport
I stand for:
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Bringing railways back into public ownership and lowering fares
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Affordable, accessible and reliable public transport to revitalise our city centre, improve journeys to work and increase access to public services
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Safe routes for pedestrians and cyclists across the whole of Colchester
Equality
I stand for:
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Strengthening Colchester’s proud record as a
‘City of Sanctuary’ for refugees & asylum seekers -
Improving opportunities for working parents by increasing nursery and childcare places
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Widening participation in employment, education and training
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