Today marks 40 years since the people of Islington North first elected me as their MP.
I want to take this opportunity to thank some of the amazing people, groups and campaigns that have changed our community for the better.
Thank you to Islington North Labour Party for your support and solidarity over the course of 10 General Elections.
Local democracy is the heart of our movement — I am determined as ever to campaign alongside my community for a more equal, sustainable & peaceful world.
Over the past 40 years, our community has achieved huge victories.
Saving the Number 4 bus, preventing the closure of Whittington A&E, protecting the Jewish Burial Ground, and defending Gillespie Park, to name a few!
When we come together, we can win.
If you want to see what a kinder world would look like, visit a community centre.
Thank you to Brickworks, Mildmay, Hilldrop, Highbury Roundhouse, Elizabeth House, Whittington Park, Andover, Hornsey Lane & Caxton House for empowering local people to build spaces of solidarity.
Mr. and Mrs. Ozdemir fled from Turkey to Islington in the 1980s. After resisting unjust deportation, they had a child named Gulcin.
Today, Gulcin is one of many local councillors fighting for the next generation by making Islington a more inclusive and welcoming place to live.
From local forums to tenants' associations, charities to community gardens, and women’s centres to well-being cafes, thank you to all those who have devoted their lives to building a safer, kinder and fairer borough.
Diversity is our strength. I have experienced so much joy at countless celebrations in Islington, including those for Christmas, Ramadan, Chanukah, Diwali and many more.
Ultimately, it is the quiet & unremarkable acts of neighbourliness that sustain us all.
You learn a lot on a picket line — thank you Islington North for a priceless education.
My tenure began with the miners’ strike in 1984. Our borough raised thousands of pounds in support.
To this day, people in Islington stand by striking workers, wherever they are.
Easily one of the most heartening parts of my work is visiting schools to chat with teachers and students.
There is creativity in all of us — empowering the next generation is our best chance of building a more hopeful, liveable and joyful future.
Today is a normal day: casework in the morning, meetings with councillors and a school visit in the afternoon, and a local fundraiser in the evening.
It has been an honour representing the people of Islington North. With your support, that is what I’ll continue to do.
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