Aspiration is my inspiration

I live in Titchfield Common and it has been an honour representing the people of Fareham since 2015, being re-elected in 2017 with an increased vote share. Me and my husband, Rael, have made Fareham our home and we have recently welcomed our first child, George, to the family. 

My parents came to this country with very little in the 1960s, from Kenya and Mauritius. Mum was recruited by the NHS as a girl of 18years old and worked as a nurse for 45years and Dad worked for a housing association. My family were proud to serve their local community in Wembley, North West London, through local politics: Mum was a Councillor for 16years and Dad a campaigner for local people. No problem was too small: whether it was trying to save the local library, or keep the local playing fields open or help a resident get a better home.

I was born in Harrow and grew up in Wembley. After attending a local state school, my parents decided to send me to a local independent school  where I won a scholarship to help with school fees. From there, I gained a place to read Law at Cambridge University, a Masters at the Sorbonne in Paris and sat the New York Bar exams, qualifying as an Attorney. This gave me an insight into the social and legal frameworks of Europe and the USA.

Since being elected, I have sat on the Education Select Committee, I was Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Treasury, and also resigned from my post as Brexit Secretary in November 2018 over the terms of the Brexit deal.

I’m a Conservative because we are the party that says it doesn’t matter where you start. You can make your life and that of others better by taking responsibility, self-empowerment and service. Aspiration, to me, means: rewarding endeavour, enabling compassion and liberating people from the shackles of the state.