Ealing Central and Acton Labor candidate Dr Rupa Huq on why she wants to be re-elected as MP – EALING.NEWS – The Voice of Ealing 7 towns

On 4 July 2024, the UK electorate goes to the polls to vote for who they want as a Member of Parliament.

EALING.NEWS asked all the candidates in the three constituencies of Ealing Ealing Central and Acton, Ealing North and Ealing Southall 7 questions about who they are, what they hope to deliver and why residents want to vote for them.

Dr Rupa Huq, who represents Labor in Ealing Central and Acton, answers the 7 questions:

Tell us a little about yourself, your priorities for the constituency and why you want to be the next Member of Parliament for Ealing North?
I have been MP for Ealing Central and Acton (ECA) since 2015 and a lifelong resident of Ealing (over 50 years!). I am incredibly lucky and blessed that for the last three elections, the people of ECA have voted for me. It was the greatest honor and privilege of my life. Before becoming a politician, I was an academic, a teacher and a sociologist.

If re-elected, I will continue to fight for ECA residents to continue to be their strong voice in parliament. Since 2015, we have worked hard to improve the lives of everyone living in the constituency.

What motivates you?
Being able to make a difference and help people is the biggest thing that motivates me, every day. Despite 14 years of Tory austerity, I have fought hard against the decline of our public services to ensure that our future and that of our children will be the best possible.

What is your own personal connection to Ealing North or any other part of the borough?
ECA is my home. That’s where I grew up, went to school, and now I’m raising my family. Walking and cycling the streets every day, I constantly bump into people I know, whom I have been able to help as an MP. I am part of the community and an active champion for the area.

What do you consider to be your 5 most important political or personal achievements and what impact did they have?
When I was elected in 2015, I turned what was once an impregnable Tory seat into a constituency willing to vote Labour. And since then I have been rejected by the electorate two more times.

I am proud of my record as an active MP and employee of the constituency. I have completed over 74,000 papers for my residents since 2015 and spoke 536 times in the last parliament alone.

The abortion clinic in Mattock Lane was hit by protesters trying to prevent women from entering the building. The council created buffer zones which we put into legislation. It has been a long and emotionally charged issue in the area, but one that we have consistently pushed to ensure the safety of women who need to access this vital service.

After the decline of bank branches in Ealing, we led the campaign to open the first urban banking center in The Oaks shopping center on Acton High St, bringing this important presence to the area for those who need to visit a real area. physical bank.

After weeks of tireless campaigning on the potential benefits of vitamin D in the fight against Covid-19, we have won a major victory for the government to reassess the evidence and increase public messaging about vitamin D, helping to save lives and boost the health of a countless number of people.

What do you see as the top 5 challenges facing Ealing North and how will you tackle them as an MP?
In my weekly operations, the number one issue I am contacted about is the lack of decent affordable social housing, especially for families with children. I will push for a massive housebuilding program across the country, including supporting Labour’s manifesto pledge for new towns.

I am contacted daily about the NHS and how increased waiting lists are causing worry and misery for my residents across the community. I will campaign for more funding and reform of the NHS so that it is modernized and fit for purpose, including promoting healthy lifestyle programs to prevent disease.

Chronic underfunding of local government means vital services such as social care and children’s services are stretched dangerously thin. I support the drive to look at funding models and the devolution of local government so that local areas receive vital investment and can build their own local economies to support their populations.

We have been a consistently strong voice against Brexit and we can see its effects becoming more damaging as time goes on. I will push for a better working relationship with our European neighbors and rebuild the links damaged by the Tories’ irresponsible and failed Brexit agenda.

What do you love about Ealing?
Ealing is a great place to live with a unique sense of community. We have amazing award winning parks and green spaces including Acton Park and Gunnersbury Park and with the new ECA ward boundaries I am really excited to have the untamed wildness of Wormwood Scrubs in the constituency. I am proud to say that we have some of the best schools in the country and with the revival of cinemas in the area with Odeon Luxe, Ealing Project, ActOne Cinema, most recently Filmworks, Ealing has become a destination for moviegoers.

How accessible will you be to the residents of Ealing North and how can they contact you now and, if elected, how will you ensure you are accessible to them in the future?
I have a strong track record of being approachable, available and responsive to all my constituents. I will continue to run a weekly surgery that any resident is welcome to attend (by appointment) – my team and I have met and helped thousands of local residents since 2015. I am very present in the community, visiting schools, religious groups and evenimente. . I am also an active campaigning MP and will continue to knock on doors in the constituency regularly throughout the parliamentary term, not just at elections. Whether it’s by phone, email or in person, I will continue to be accessible to every voter.

Click here for all Ealing Central and Acton candidates.