Olivier Mupenda

As a way of introduction, my name is Olivier, but you can call me “Oli” and I have joined the labour party since January 2018 in Romford where I was an active member in local campaigns as well as the TULO Officer.

The reason I have joined the Labour Party is from working in passenger transport in London for Arriva since 2010, I was a member of TSSA from 2016 and took part in a political weekend course in April 2017 where I understand the role play by unions within the party and the role of the Labour Party representing and fighting for the people to ensure equalities as well as social justice. The party has achieved important changes to people life such as the NHS, parental leaves and the introduction of minimum wages, just to name those.

Having identified the roles played in people lives and changing society for better, I have signed up to become an active member.

Jordan Sawers

Because I wanted my voice to be heard. I wanted to be a voice for change and I want to help my local community. I hope that one day I will achieve this goal by becoming a councillor, so that I can affect change locally. Labour has the support network to help me achieve that goal.

We need a country that works for all of us, where the law is equal before all of us. To quote George Orwell “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others”. I feel like this quote emphasises the feelings of many people in our country especially with the recent events of Corona and the Cummings Scandal. Some of us are fed up of austerity and the damage it has already done to our society. Joining labour has given me a voice to express my concerns. Labour are the party of progress formed to give ordinary people a better life. Providing protection by sealing up the cracks which our ancestors fell through. The creation of the NHS, the formation of a welfare state, Improvement of housing conditions, education and social insurance.

 

Other historic moments that led me to join the labour party are the end of the death penalty, the decriminalisation of homosexuality, bringing in legislation to fight racial discrimination and the national minimum wage. Labour also introduced Civil Partnerships, the Equality Act, the Human Rights Act.

Another reason for me joining is Sir Keir Starmer, a stalwart human rights defender. I have the utmost respect for him from his previous background as Director of Public Prosecutions and head of the crown prosecution service. I too have a background in law and love his want to use his skills for public betterment. In 2005 Sir Keir Starmer persuaded the House of Lords to make evidence obtained by torture inadmissible in court. Some of his appeal cases led to the abolition of the abolition of the death penalty in Caribbean countries. In 2013 he led an inquiry which led to extra protection for rape and child abuse victims. His ability to dissect an argument and come up with an astute response is neigh on incomparable. I believe this is shown in the recent poll changes and I hope they continue in the same vein.

 

Too often people are excluded from politics, they feel like it is a world in and of itself. I don’t want it to be that way. We need to make politics more open; it needs to be less elitist. Labour strives towards that goal.