There are moments in life which change your entire perspective. Moments where you learn more about yourself and the world around you. Moments which explain why certain things are not right and why it falls on you to stand up and be counted.
I felt that moment came for me when last year, the world witnessed a nuclear-armed state in the middle east launch a brutal genocidal onslaught against a defenceless population in Gaza, half of whom are children. Until then, I was just an ordinary person who cared deeply about my community, whilst at the same time juggling the pressures of being a mum of four and wife to my wonderful husband and working at a school.
Something changed for me in that moment when I saw the reaction of those around me, whom I entrusted to make decisions on my behalf fail to stand up for the values they claimed to espouse. It was bitterly disappointing to see the reaction of politicians who I thought would stand up for oppressed people. We all heard Labour leader Keir Starmer and his front bench defend the indefensible, and so I realised the Labour party which I had supported all my life was no longer a place for those who cared about values.
I then took the decision to forge my own path and at the by-election in Plaistow, I stood as an Independent and won against all odds, defeating the Labour candidate by taking 46% of the popular vote. Values are very important for me and they shape my view of the world and drive me on to fight for those less fortunate than myself. Sadly, I saw for myself how the Labour party had abandoned all the values it claimed to have stood for, how in its thirst for power it had purged genuine people from its ranks, and how it was now practically indistinguishable from the Tories.
So, whilst Gaza was a turning point for me, I had felt uneasy for many months and felt Labour policies were no different from the Conservatives. When we look around at our community in West Ham and Beckton, we have so much to celebrate and be proud of. We have historical roots in our diversity that others could only dream of and we have so much potential which if we can successfully harness, will benefit the many, not just the few.
We also have many problems that simply haven’t been addressed in the decades-long rule of local Labour politicians who have made all the decisions in our area since the formation of Newham after the second world war. Let’s take for example our roads which are some of the most polluted and badly maintained in London. Whilst other areas have had huge inward investments, our Labour-controlled Council has failed to adequately invest in our infrastructure, instead its imposed unfair taxes and penalised the very people that need and use them.
Let’s look at fly-tipping which is at epidemic proportions and how our area is at times labelled the filthiest in the country. At certain times people are afraid to walk on our streets for fear of crime and we lack so many basic services which deprive us from having a better future.
For too long, we have elected Labour politicians to make decisions on our behalf but who are more concerned about loyalty to their party for fear of upsetting their leader. That’s not how a democratic party should behave and now decades have gone by, with so many broken promises that it seems nothing can ever change. I want to break that mould, I want to free us from the hegemony of a Labour party that is simply not looking after our best interests.
When I became one of just 3 Independently elected Councillors’ back in November 2023, I promised that I would work everyday to make the change we desperately need. It’s a long journey and I have no illusions that it will take time, but I began knowing I will work hard to hold the ruling Labour politicians to account. Previously, they’ve had little to no opposition and could do as they wished, but now they have real accountability with independent Councillors like me, scrutinising their decisions and which is crucial to preserve our democracy.
It’s why I’ve decided to stand for Parliament against whoever is the Labour candidate and anyone else at the next general election.
Life for me, as it is for you, is a real challenge for most people, one where each day brings its own problems and its unique joys. I was born in Newham and it’s the place where I grew up, where I got married and where I have raised my family. I work at a school with children, and I know the challenges faced by working families.
I want to see a better future for all our children, I want a government with values, that stands up for all families, not one where the interest of big business, utility firms and lobby groups take precedence.
Our country is an amazing place, we have such a rich history and tradition and it’s a country that’s given a huge deal to the world. But its also one with huge inequality and poverty, where the next generation are having to work much harder to succeed than those before, where the NHS is chronically underfunded, attacked and privatised, where buying your own home has become more and more difficult.
Let’s not forget the failure of the economy, where the cost of living is enormous, where interest rates are stubbornly high and those we entrust to look after our interests simply pay lip service to our needs. I want to stand for all those who want genuine change, and not just media driven soundbites where nothing really of substance will change.
So, if like me, you want someone with real values to represent you, someone who will fight for you every single day and not be influenced by party bosses in Westminster or lobby groups and big business, then join me in my journey.
Let me know what you think will make all our lives better. I know the road ahead is difficult, but I will do everything I can to win and give hope to the hopeless.
Sophia Naqvi
Parliamentary Candidate for West Ham and Beckton