asset-84x

Together, let’s fight for a Socialist Future.

Want to hear more from Jess?Get the latest from Jess delivered straight to your inbox!

After signing up for the newsletter, you will receive updates via email. You can unsubscribe anytime - Obviously. 
View our Privacy Policy

About Jess

I’m Jess and I’m standing to be Chair of Young Labour. I’m currently a County Councillor in Norwich, representing Nelson Ward.

 For the last 2 years I’ve served as Vice Chair of Young Labour, and am proud to have played my part in re-politicising our youth movement. As Vice Chair of Young Labour and representative for the East of England I co-wrote Young Labour’s submission to the party democracy review which saw rule changes implemented, giving more power to young members and youth regional groups.

 Every election for the past 5 years I’ve coordinated action for Young members across the East of England – whether that be supporting young candidates or supporting young members keen to play their part in changing our communities for the better.

 

My activism isn’t isolated to the Labour party, I’ve supported young workers in the McStrike, striking TGI and Wetherspoons workers as well as organising within GMB in their ‘wages not based on ages’ campaign to tackle low wages of young people.

I’m committed to tackling all forms of racism, homophobia and transphobia. In my hometown, I established Norwich Against Fascists and have supported the excellent work of Labour Campaign for Trans Rights.

Outside of politics and activism, I’m a Youth Worker across the East of England, supporting young people through year-long mental health waiting lists, unemployment and homelessness. I’ve seen the hardship faced by young people because of this Government, and successive Tory Governments.

Check out who has endorsed Jess!

Jess’s Platform

union

Research from the TUC shows that workers under the age of 25 are three times more likely to face job losses, and youth unemployment is set to reach 1 million by the end of the year.

There is no path to improving working conditions for young people that does not run through the revitalisation of our labour movement.  Unfortunately, fewer than one in ten workers under the age of 24 are in trade unions today.

As vice-chair of Young Labour, I supported young workers fighting back against precarious conditions in the McStrike, TGI Fridays and Wetherspoons strikes and organised action as part of the GMB’s ‘wages not based on ages’ campaign to tackle low wages for young workers. But we must go further. 

Young Labour has to be an agent of change, helping to empower young people to organise in their workplaces and encouraging our labour movement to open up to a new generation of workers. If elected chair, I plan to run a young workers’ conference in partnership with affiliated trade unions – building solidarity in the face of our common challenges, equipping members with the skills to organise and discussing how to campaign on workplace issues from harassment to shortening the working week and repealing anti-union laws.

green

The Labour Party must be at the forefront of the struggle for climate justice.  The actions we take now will define the decades to come.

The youth wing of our party must support movements like the school strike, and recognise the potential collective power of organised and mobilised young people fighting for change. Young Labour needs to engage newly politicised activists and champion policy solutions such as the Green New Deal.

The fight for climate justice is first and foremost a class issue.  Those who have contributed least to the climate crisis, are those who feel the devastating impact of drought, famine and a growing battle for resources in the global south.  It will be the young people today who stand to inherit an Earth collapsing under the weight of capitalism, and the Labour Party must equip its young members with the tools and policies to bring about a just transition from fossil fuels and carbon emissions, to green jobs and a labour market that works for the many and not just the few, with trade union membership at the heart of the revolution.

antiracist

The racist murder of George Floyd at the hands of the US Police force earlier this year sparked a wave of Black Lives Matter protests which has once again demonstrated how far we need to go in the fight against racism, from our police force to our workplaces. 

Both Labour and Young Labour need to embody this commitment, with the far-right on the march across the globe, we need a Labour Party that does not hesitate in its anti-racism, its anti-fascism and its defence of minorities. We need to ensure our party, and our spaces for young members is inclusive as it can be for those from Black and minority background,free from all forms of racism, including anti-semitism and anti-traveller sentiment. We need a robust and well-funded disciplinary process which ensures bigotry is dealt with within our party wherever it appears. 

As chair, I will take action to improve our representation to ensure Labour reflects wider society, encouraging young BAME members to take up positions within their CLPs, local councils and the Labour Party structures.

proud

Both Young Labour and the Labour Party as a whole has to be a safe and inclusive space for Trans members. I am a proud and unequivocal supporter of Trans rights and have been vocal in my opposition to Tory plans to scrap reforms to the Gender Recognition Act, reforms which were vitally needed to ensure people who are Trans can live with dignity and gain access to the services they need.

Last year saw Transgender hate crimes recorded by police increase by 81%, BBC figures show, this has been combined with an increase in misinformation around young people who choose to transition as well as an increasingly hostile campaign against Trans people. Now more than ever it’s essential we challenge bigotry toward Trans people wherever it appears, even if that means holding those in our own party and movement to account.

If elected, I will work with LGBTQ+ Labour groups to ensure our Trans members feel included and welcome in Labour spaces, and ensure advice is offered to local Young Labour groups as to how they can educate their members on issues around Trans rights.  

Trans rights are human rights and our young trans siblings throughout society deserve an unequivocal champion as chair of Young Labour. That is what I will be – just as I have been as an activist, youth worker and councillor. 

secure

The UK housing crisis disproportionately affects young people, ONS figures show a 46% rise in young people aged 20-34 returning home to live with parents, an option only available to some with other young people making up the over 1 million people in England on council housing waiting lists, with a similar situation in Scotland.

Young workers who are in their own accommodation are often stuck in the private rented sector, forced to hand over a large portion of their hard earned wages to landlords each month, with no guarantee of high standards of housing, and often facing extortionate ‘cleaning’ or ‘maintenance’ costs when moving between houses. A similar situation faces students, often forced into sub-par accommodation at disproportionately high prices which their maintenance loan rarely covers, a problem made more critical by the cutting of bursaries for those from a lower income background.

COVID-19 and the resulting unemployment crisis will only make this problem worse, Labour has to be a powerful advocate on behalf of tenants and be willing to oppose rogue landlords where needed.

If elected chair of Young Labour, I will work closely with the inspiring campaigns fighting back against the housing crisis, from ACORN to the London Renters Union and Living Rent, to put tenants’ rights at the top of our political agenda and ensure that fighting the greed of landlords is never seen as ‘un-Labour.’

united

For Young Labour to be a force for change, it must carry the confidence of all its members. Young Labour must be a safe space from all forms of discrimination, with a robust disciplinary process in place to effectively handle complaints, including those relating to antisemitism.
In some cases, incidences of antisemitism can stem from unintentional ignorance and lack of education into the struggle of Jewish people throughout history and in the present day. If elected chair of Young Labour, I will work to develop a programme of education opportunities to support our members in tackling antisemitism both in our party and in their communities, including online seminars and a specific fringe for young members at annual conference with Jewish training providers and organisations.

I’m Building a Manifesto which puts Young Members voices front and center!

Be part of building our Socialist Manifesto for Young Labour!