WHY I STILL BELIEVE
Politics is something I do. It is not who I am. These are my reflections on life, resilience and the values that keep me moving forward.
Politics can be a strange place.
If you spend any amount of time online, you would be forgiven for thinking it is nothing more than arguments, division, point scoring and people shouting at each other. Sometimes it can feel exactly like that.
Over the last year, I have experienced highs and lows, victories and disappointments, moments of hope and moments where I questioned whether any of it was worth the effort.
Yet despite everything, I still believe.
I grew up in a Labour family. Politics was always something that mattered because it shaped people’s lives. As I got older, I found myself becoming increasingly frustrated with the growing gap between ordinary people and those who govern them. Too often it felt as though communities like ours were being spoken about rather than listened to.
Like many people, I reached a point where I could no longer simply sit on the sidelines and complain. If I wanted things to change, I needed to be prepared to stand up, get involved and put myself forward.
What followed was a journey I never expected.
Just over a year ago I was not a councillor. I was not involved in party politics. I was simply someone watching events unfold and becoming increasingly concerned about the direction of the country.
In a relatively short space of time, I found myself elected as a councillor, becoming involved in political campaigns and speaking publicly on issues that matter to me and my community.
It has been a remarkable experience, but it has also taught me something important.
Politics is something I do. It is not who I am.
A title does not define me as a person.
Whether I hold a position or not, I remain the same individual with the same values, the same principles and the same desire to make a positive difference.
Long before politics I was a survivor, a mother, a grandmother, a night shift worker and someone who cared deeply about my community.
I am still that person today.
Roles can change. Titles can come and go. Circumstances can change overnight.
Character is what remains.
The same lesson applies beyond politics.
I am a survivor. I have lived through experiences that could easily have left me bitter, angry or defeated. Instead, they taught me resilience. They taught me that no matter how difficult things become, there is always value in getting back up and moving forward.
I also live with cyclothymia and panic disorder. Some days I feel capable of taking on the world. Other days even simple tasks can feel overwhelming. It can be frustrating, exhausting and at times isolating.
But it has also taught me something important.
Strength is not about never struggling.
Strength is about carrying on anyway.
For many years I have worked night shifts. Like many working people, I understand what it means to balance work, family life and the pressures of everyday life. Those experiences have shaped me far more than any political role ever could.
They remind me that most people are simply trying to do their best. They want safe communities, decent opportunities and a better future for the people they love.
That is what drives me.
I want my daughter and granddaughter to grow up in a country that is safe, prosperous and confident in itself. I want them to have opportunities that allow them to thrive. I want them to know that ordinary people can still make a difference.
Most of all, I want them to inherit a society where people are free to think, free to speak and free to disagree respectfully.
That is why I still believe.
I still believe in free speech.
I still believe in equality under the law.
I still believe in strong communities.
I still believe in democracy.
I still believe in independent thinking.
I still believe that our country can be better.
And I still believe that one person, speaking honestly and acting with conviction, can make a difference.
I do not pretend to have all the answers.
I am simply a survivor, a mother, a grandmother, a councillor and an independent thinker who cares deeply about the future of our communities and our country.
The road ahead will not always be easy.
There will be setbacks. There will be disappointments. There will be moments when the easiest thing to do would be to give up.
But despite everything I have seen and experienced, I remain hopeful.
Because without hope, nothing changes.
And that is why I still believe.