Richmond Park prospective candidate: Let’s show what happens when Labour comes together

This article is part of a series of comment pieces by the shortlisted candidates for Labour’s candidacy for the Richmond Park by-election. You can read them all here.

Today the Paris Agreement on climate change comes into effect. The UK, despite being a leader on climate change under the last Labour Government, has so far failed to ratify this new agreement. This is one small illustration of how far backwards we have gone under this Conservative Government.

Despite their claims to care about social mobility, to be a globally engaged Britain, and create a country for the many not the few, little has shown me this is the case.

Under the Tories, child poverty has increased. The use of food banks has increased. Our NHS is under strain. The UK remains one of the most unequal countries in Europe.

Theresa May’s hard Brexit position will do nothing but damage the country and our relationship with European partners. The government’s announcement they will appeal yesterday’s high court judgement about Parliament’s crucial role in the decision to trigger article 50 flies in the face of their assertion to take back control. Of all the issues we might chose to address within in the education system, May chose grammar schools.

The things that have won the UK praise internationally – our commitment to aid and development and tackling climate change – are being eroded. These are all indicators of the growing gulf between the Government’s rhetoric and the reality of their policies.

All of these issues will come into sharp focus in the Richmond by-election. Zac Goldsmith’s bid to stand as an independent is little more than farcical. Not only is it lazy for the Tories not to stand a candidate, but it also a clear signal of their support for him. His values are at odds with the people of Richmond Park. He ran a disgraceful, racist and divisive mayoral campaign. He is a hard Brexiteer who would throw the hard won environmental gains afforded by our membership of the EU under the bus. Ironically, in the context of the debate over Heathrow expansion, the EU’s Horizon 2020 strategy is due to fund research into aviation innovation which would make aircraft lighter and more environmentally-friendly – thus reducing the noise they create. How he will be a more effective MP as an independent is far from clear.

The people of Richmond deserve better. Richmond Park, like many constituencies, has felt the impact of cuts to local government, faces the challenge of providing already stretched services for an ageing population and is struggling to afford opportunities to its young people. It is a constituency that overwhelmingly voted to remain in the EU.

It is a constituency for which Labour values of solidarity, cooperation and internationalism resonate strongly. This is an opportunity for Labour to run a positive, values-based campaign – to get activists out on the ground, building on the gains we have made in the seat over the past few elections. Yes, we need to discredit Zac. Yes, we need to hold the government to account for its failures. But more importantly, we need to demonstrate that we can make a difference on the issues that people care about locally and nationally – whether addressing the shortage of social care services or getting the best deal on Heathrow or Brexit.

Crucially, this by-election is an opportunity to demonstrate Party unity. To bring all parts of the Party together to fight for what is right. Labour has always been a broad church – forged through the mutual support of organisations like the Fabian Society on one hand and trade unions of the other.

When these two traditions come together is when we are most effective. I’ve seen what happens when Labour comes together.

I’ve seen the power of our activists and elected representatives. We can change the world – whether it’s saving a local A&E, defeating the government in Parliament over welfare and tax credits, or influencing multilateral negotiations and policies. Labour is the only true opposition to this Conservative Government. We must dispel the myth that people in Richmond Park are either natural Tory or Liberal Democrat voters.

We need a strong, charismatic candidate with the experience and energy to prove that the Party is one worth voting for in this by-election. I hope to be that candidate, to be part of the effort to mobilise our activists and to be part of forging a clear message about the alternative we offer to the country.