ABOUT ME

As the founder of a local youth club and a 50+ club, I’ve tackled the everyday issues that affect people directly, through advocacy and action. Since the pandemic, I’ve organised hot meals, food banks, IT support, and multibank services to families and individuals. That work continues today through our clubs and community centre. For this service, I’ve been honoured with both the British Empire Medal (BEM) and the British Citizen Award (BCA). This is who I am — rooted in service, standing up for people, and delivering for communities.

I’m not a career politician, and I'm proud of that. I focus on the bread-and-butter issues that matter to people day in and day out — locally, nationally, and even internationally through my diplomatic career in the Commonwealth Office and UN experience.

I grew up in a council house, on free school meals and free transport — I know first-hand what strong public services mean. I was raised in a household shaped by co-operative socialism, built on equality, fairness, and social justice. The principle was always clear: if no one else can do it, then you must step up and do it yourself.

I was the first in my family to go to university, graduating with a first-class degree. Following my grandfather, who served as a Major in Burma and Singapore during the Second World War, I joined the Army. But in my second year, during pilot training, I was diagnosed with dyslexia and colour blindness, which ended that dream. Overnight, my life turned upside down.

Instead, I entered public service. At 21, I joined the Civil Service and began a diplomatic career. When the Boxing Day Tsunami struck in 2005, I was redeployed to Sri Lanka from South Korea to support UNDP’s rehabilitation project. Within 72 hours, I submitted a report that was approved by Downing Street, and I was asked to lead the project — with a £25 million budget, rebuilding 56 villages in Tamil Tiger–controlled areas. By developing local skills and co-operative livelihoods, we helped households lift their incomes from just 40 cents to over $1 a week in six months. That experience confirmed my approach: start from the ground up, listen to people, build solutions with them, and deliver results that last.

I joined the Labour Party over 20 years ago, influenced by Gordon Brown when I was seconded to Whitehall. I began with Swansea Labour Students, then Welsh Young Labour as Vice-Chair and Treasurer, learning the basics — knocking doors, listening, and campaigning. Since then, I’ve been a board runner, election agent, and organiser across six General Elections, five Senedd elections, and five local elections. I’ve held roles across campaigns, membership, fundraising, BAME organising, social media, and branch secretary. Today, I serve as Chair of Welsh Labour’s BAME Committee, Treasurer, and a member of the Welsh Executive Committee. I’ve knocked on over 200,000 doors across Wales, delivered thousands of leaflets and postal vote letters, and helped recruit over 200 new BAME members.

In 2021, I stood as Labour’s South West Wales regional Senedd candidate, topping the members’ ballot with union backing. In 2023, I helped manage the Swansea East–West CLP merger, mediating tensions, agreeing structures, and focusing members on winning. We kept that seat red.As an elected union shop steward, I represent over 3,000 staff. After the pandemic, I negotiated with management to prevent compulsory redundancies, saving 450 jobs. I also secured a guarantee of one year’s salary as severance for any department closure — a deal signed by management.

Professionally, as Chartered External Relations Manager at Swansea University’s Energy Safety Research Institute, I manage a team of 17 staff, an annual budget of £1 million, and have secured over £20 million for Welsh jobs and innovation. I’ve led projects tackling the housing crisis (Homes as Power Stations), cutting CO2 (Clydach Carbon & Algae sequestration), and building alternative fuels (HiPo Hydrogen at Bay Campus).

Alongside this, I’ve been a governor for over 10 years at primary, secondary, college, and university levels. I led recruitment of 39+ BAME school governors, ensuring boards reflect their communities. I also authored Swansea and Neath Port Talbot’s first Muslim funeral guidance, now being considered by the Welsh Government and WLGA for adoption across all 22 councils.

My values are clear: fairness, strong public services, and opportunity for every family. Labour has already delivered much in Wales — free prescriptions, the most generous student support in the UK, free school meals expansion, and the Future Generations Act. But in Brecon, Tawe and Neath, people want delivery on the day-to-day issues: GP and dental access, cost of living, potholes fixed, safe school routes, apprenticeships, reliable buses, parks and libraries, safe housing, and protection from poverty.Ours is a community of communities — Swansea Valley, Neath Valley, and Brecon/Radnorshire, each with its own needs but shared challenges. From farming and flooding to cost-of-living struggles, from youth out-migration to elderly care, the solutions must be tailored but rooted in Labour values. With Labour in both Cardiff Bay and Westminster, now is the time to bring real investment back to these valleys, towns, and rural areas. I unite people, I build solutions, and I deliver results. I’m ready to be a visible, reachable, relentless MS for every valley, town, and village in Brycheiniog, Tawe & Nedd.

Give me the chance, and I'll prove it from day one.