I stood for election in 2015 and again in 2017 as I want to see more women in parliament. I also want to see more people who are representative of their constituencies rather than ‘the privileged classes’ who have dominated parliament through history.

I stood for the Labour Party as I am a member and they represent my views. In 2013 the Labour Party put out a call for candidates to stand ready for the next General Election.

I was called to a selection interview after submitting a written application; I then had a hustings against another candidate who wanted to stand.

It is nerve racking and you have to think on your feet in all hustings as a question on any topic can be put forward. In 2015 I also stood for the Town Council and was duly elected. I was nominated as Mayor by another General Election candidate elected on to the council. My honourable campaign was cited and I was delighted to serve as Mayor for two terms. I was automatically selected for the snap 2017 General Election having been approved by the Labour National Executive Committee and the South West Regional Labour Party Office.

The process Of becoming a candidate was straightforward. The Labour Party offered some good training for female candidates in London at the end of 2013 as part of their drive to have more women as MPs.

I was well supported once again by the Constituency Labour Party, family and friends. In the 2017 election I had more emails about keeping the fox hunting ban than any other topic. Since the summer of 2015 the constituency Labour Party has grown from under 200 members to over 700 members. In our constituency about 55% of the membership is women. We now have an equal number of women in executive positions and non-executive positions in our CLP.

Item descriptionI enjoyed canvassing and attending hustings; it is a good way of hearing what people want, deepening my understanding on local issues and community concerns as well as being able to put forward my election promises and the Labour Party manifesto.

Like a number of perspective parliamentary candidates in the last General Election I suffered some media abuse and was subjected to false and inaccurate allegations. Unless this is addressed ordinary people who have a passion for serving their communities will not put themselves forward, this will impact on women more.

Have the confidence to stand up to bullies and also the media who print things about candidates without even speaking to them, or contacting them or even checking the facts.

Item descriptionIf I was elected I would have fought harder to save local hospitals in the constituency. More needs to be done for mental health services, youth services and better funding for education; children are our future.

Last summer I raised funds to restore the portrait of Juanita Maxwell Phillips an inspirational suffragette who served as the first female town mayor 11 times, was the first women elected on to Devon County Council and is responsible for the social housing and free open access to our playing field, All Hallows. She advocated for women including birth control (quite a stance between the wars in the early half of the last century), social housing, sanitation and play areas for children. Her portrait hangs outside the room used for Town Council meetings at The Beehive allowing her to watch over us.

I continue to serve as a Town Councillor and as the constituency’s Women’s Officer for the Labour Party alongside a full time career in teaching as a SENDCo.