I am an independent councillor on Shepton Mallet Town Council and we have intentionally removed destructive and polarising party politics. We now have created an environment where we respectfully debate and reach decisions.

When I look at Parliament, I see the political parties constantly at war and they do not achieve anything. If elected, I would be the first elected female independent MP in history. Pretty exciting news that we would all be a part of!

I would use this platform to unite our divided Parliament so we can treat each other with respect, value diverse points of view and reach decisions that best serve our nation as a whole.

My Skills:
● Leadership
● Listening
● Communication
● Conflict Resolution
● Trauma Informed

Employment History:
● Police Officer
● Investigator
● Housing Officer
● Homelessness
● Parent & Family Support Advisor

There are no candidates that will commit to working collaboratively across parties. Party politics prevent us from hearing each other and solving our big issues. Through my experience as an independent councillor, I can see a way forward in Parliament outside of the political parties.

Between March 2023 and November 2023, I visited all 51 parish councils within the new Wells and Mendip Hills constituency. I left my employment as an investigator at the University of Bath in October 2023 to campaign full time. I have already knocked on over 21,000 doors giving me a real understanding of local issues.

I am not controlled by a whip or a political party and I cannot challenge the status quo if I am in a political party. My experience of the political parties has shown me that they refuse to work collaboratively. I think that this is a real barrier to addressing the challenges that we face.

Locally:
I have visited every parish council (over 50). I am connected with all the Somerset and North Somerset councillors. This will enable me to collaboratively work and support the parishes.

Common issues include the bus service, flooding, lack of infrastructure for new developments and traffic speeding. I have built the relationships needed to support local areas with their issues.

Nationally:
If elected, it would be unprecedented and national news. I would use my platform to challenge the toxic cultures of the political parties. I can do the one thing that nobody else can. I am able to speak authentically and vote with integrity as I would not be subject to any party whip. I will have a massive influence in Parliament which no other MP would have.

I follow guidelines for any candidate wishing to join The IndependenT Platform. These guidelines can be found HERE.

My other political values are as follows:

1. Community: Protecting and advocating for our communities so they can thrive;
2. Accessibility: Simplifying the system so more people vote and are engaged;
3. Authenticity: I care about our environment. I’ve been a police officer and worked in housing and homelessness and I’ve worked with people my entire career. I grew up in Somerset and live in the constituency;
4. Truth: Digging to the root cause and not reacting, but being proactive to fix core issues to find the true facts;
5. Strength: I am representative, dependable and consistent. I have the ability to problem solve, challenge and to find a new way.