This constituency is where I’m from. I grew up in Sydenham and went to Adamsrill Primary. My mum has lived in Sydenham her entire life.

My great-grandad worked in the swimming baths in East Dulwich and my grandad went to primary school there. I lived in Crofton Park for many years, where I was a Governor at Stillness Primary School.

I studied law at Oxford University and then worked as an employment rights lawyer for over 10 years. I mainly represented Unite and UCATT trade union members as a trade union lawyer and then set up my own business providing help to working mums and women facing maternity discrimination.

I joined the Labour party aged 15, motivated to do so by the poor conditions of my secondary school which were caused by a lack of funding. I have been campaigning for social justice, public services and equality ever since then, and served on the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee between 2006 – 2016.

I was first elected to represent Lewisham West & Penge in 2017 and again in 2019. Following the 2023 Boundary Review and the 2024 general election I am delighted to now be the MP for Lewisham West & East Dulwich, an area that means so much to me and my family. It is a privilege and honour to now be able to represent this area in parliament.

In April 2020 I was appointed to the Labour Front Bench as Shadow Solicitor General and in December 2021 I was promoted to Shadow Justice Minister. In September 2023 I was promoted to the Shadow Cabinet as Deputy National Campaign Co-ordinator for the Labour Party. In July 2024 I was appointed Labour Party Chair and Minister of State without Portfolio in the Cabinet Office.