I consider a dedication to the furtherance of working-class interest to be a fundamental part of who I am. I believe that organising through a trade union is the foremost vehicle through which working class people can shape their own destinies and wider society. I joined PCS at the first opportunity when I began working in the Civil Service in 2017. I am the Branch Secretary of the Revenue & Customs Wales branch as well as BTUS lead for Campaigns & Projects for whom I work in the Cardiff regional centre. I dedicate as much time as my employer will allow me working to deliver real change for members, in personal cases, raising and negotiating on collective issues with local management and in the organising of our wonderful local branch.

I was particularly pleased when thanks to the tireless work of our Branch Executive Committee, our branch voted in such numbers for industrial action earlier this year and within months of my election as Branch Secretary we were able to organise two vibrant, brilliantly attended pickets during days of national action in the spring. The National Campaign saw us make real strides in 2023, delivering significant victories, particularly in resisting attacks on redundancy terms. However, the landscape is replete with challenge, persistent high inflation will see our members face pay offers equalling real terms pay cuts in the new year and a Tory government will resolve to attack our conditions to its last breath.

I am standing for office in the union at group and national level as the situation in the UK at present is so stark, it is incumbent on us all to work as hard as we can to mitigate its effects. Fourteen years of Tory government has put the country and its working people on the rack. We know from our own surveys and direct experience in the workplace how much pressure our lowly paid members are under. Tory mismanagement of the economy, rampant inflation and endemic low pay has resulted in HMRC staff using foodbanks and having to use credit cards to pay for essentials. As a Socialist, I do not feel I could stand on the side-lines. I want to be involved; I want to work to help our members in the face of the privations visited upon them by this government.

The coming campaigns will be long and difficult, any incoming Labour government will find the cupboard bare, we cannot afford to rely on favours from Keir Starmer. The only option for the Revenue & Customs group is to elect a united executive committee, on a Socialist platform with the courage of their convictions to proclaim it, to do anything else would be disastrous. I believe Left Unity candidates are the only option for members seeking to return a Socialist group executive with the vision and strategy to deliver for members and to take the fight to the Tory government and our employer!

I am a Socialist & a member of Left Unity.