“I am standing to be our MP because we need a credible candidate who can gain the seat for Labour, and an MP who can enable our community to thrive through social justice and climate action.

Reading is my home: I live and work locally and I have served as a councillor for Whitley ward for over 12 years. I’ve campaigned across Reading and Berkshire and I know the issues we face here.

I’m asking you to choose me to be our candidate again because I believe that together we can win and that we need an MP who is on the side of local people.

There is so much talent and so many strengths in our diverse communities, and so many people working to make our area special, but we also face so many challenges that this Tory government is just making worse.

Increasing levels of poverty, with energy prices causing fear, public services stretched and small businesses worried about how they will cope. We deserve a sustainable future for our young people, support for our diverse communities and dignity for our elderly.

I am already widely known locally, and I will work hard and build a team so that every one of our friends, family and neighbours knows that it’s time for a Labour MP and a Labour government which will protect our NHS, fund our children’s schools, and ensure that work comes with dignity and proper pay, that our homes are affordable and we can look forward to a sustainable future.

I know the difference a Labour government can make – and I’ve seen the impact that Conservative policy can have.

We are gaining trust again with an array of talent on our front bench that the Conservatives must envy. We have many skilled local members, who I believe are ready to reach out and campaign again. We need our candidate to be ready for an election, or a by-election, whenever it comes: with experience of listening to and representing our communities, with a strong local profile and the ability to speak up nationally.

I am that candidate.