About Chris
A Labour Member of Parliament standing up for residents in North East Hertfordshire:
In 2024 I became the first Labour candidate to win the North East Hertfordshire seat since its establishment in 1997, having also been the first in more than 20 years to win a North Herts Council seat in my hometown of Royston two years earlier.
Since then, I have made it my mission to fight every day for the change local residents want to see. I spend a lot of time talking to the people I represent and when energy prices became one of their top concerns as bills soared, I championed a motion in North Herts Council calling for urgent government action to insulate homes and tackle fuel poverty.
As a local councillor, I supported residents on a wide range of issues, from protecting and improving our parks to concerns about anti-social behaviour. I've successfully campaigned with residents to save vital bus services to Cambridge and often spend my weekends taking part in local community and charity events across the district.
An election winning Labour activist:
I've been a Labour Party member all my adult life and first got involved in active campaigning as a student at university, when I was part of the team that helped Labour win Cambridge in 2015, coming from third place to beat the Lib Dems.
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From 2017 to 2018 I worked as an organiser for the Labour Party in Thurrock, learning how to coordinate every aspect of a successful election campaign. With a fantastic team of local activists I ran Thurrock Labour's 2018 local election campaign, which delivered their largest number of Labour gains since 1997.
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Since living in North Hertfordshire, I have campaigned with the brilliant Royston Labour team, securing two consecutive Labour gains from the Tories in the town. I've also spent a lot of time canvassing to support Labour candidates in Letchworth and Baldock, and helped organise activities in rural areas like Watton-at-Stone and Little Hadham.
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A charity campaigner:
For the last five years I have worked as a professional campaigner and policy expert in the charity sector, making the case for progressive policies to improve the lives of people across the country.
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In 2019, I ran a flagship campaign for social care to be free at the point of use, like the NHS, ensuring that our loved ones have the dignity and support they deserve in older age. I know from the experience of my own family how important this is, and high quality social care for all continues to be one of my biggest passions.
Most recently, I led an award-winning campaign team for CPRE, the countryside charity, fighting for a better future for rural towns and villages like those across North East Hertfordshire. Together we helped to defeat Liz Truss' plans to bring back fracking, stopped Boris Johnson's attempt to deregulate the planning system created by the Attlee Labour government, exposed the truth of the rural housing crisis, and mobilised tens of thousands of people across the country to call for better rural bus services.
An experienced communicator on the national stage:
Throughout my career I have spent a lot of time arguing for the changes our country needs to see and which the Tories will never deliver. North East Hertfordshire needs a Labour candidate who has the experience to stand up to the Tories and the press and I have had plenty of experience.
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Over the years, I have faced off against Tory MPs whilst giving evidence in parliament and challenged their ideological obsession in the privatisation of public transport, stood up for bold policies in live media interviews, and delivered speeches in front of hundreds at conferences, summits, and campaign events.
A committed trade unionist:
I have been a member of trade unions since my first full time job and for me this is a defining aspect of my Labour politics.
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There are a lot of young people struggling to pay bills and rent whilst working in the charity sector I have been part of for most of my professional career. Trade unions have a hugely important role to play in tackling this, and I have experienced this first hand as a workplace union rep for the last three years.
As a Community union rep I have represented my colleagues in tough negotiations to improve pay and conditions, especially during the cost of living crisis. My trade unionism has also taught me the importance of solidarity across all sectors of the economy, so in 2022 I was proud to move a successful motion calling for a just transition that delivers a fair deal for workers in at risk industries, like steel. Working closely with trade unions will always be important to me as your candidate.
Photo: Westmill Lakes near Ware© Julian Paren (cc-by-sa/2.0)