I work in HMRC and currently serve on the National Executive Committee. I am also Vice President of the Revenue and Customs Wales branch and have previously served as branch secretary and vice chair of the Wales Executive Committee. It has been an honour to serve members at every level, from the NEC through to supporting individuals directly as a branch secretary and personal case rep. That experience has shown me both the pressures our members face and the importance of a union that is organised, disciplined and capable of delivering real gains.

I am standing for the NEC as part of the Democracy Alliance because PCS needs a serious, democratic and member-led trade unionism rooted in the realities of working life.

My politics are shaped by my life as a civil servant, a father to two young children and the carer for my disabled wife. Like many members, I understand the strain of balancing work, caring responsibilities and the rising cost of living. Trade unionism only works when it remains grounded in those everyday realities.

PCS has a unique role in the labour movement. We are not only defending members’ pay, conditions and jobs but also shaping the civil service and therefore the machinery and power of the state. A strong, effective union can push for an organisation where skills are valued, progression is real and public services are capable of delivering for everyone. Too often, however, parts of the civil service have become reliant on low pay, insecure contracts and high turnover. This is bad for members and bad for the public we serve.

I believe the labour movement must be serious about political economy. The structure of the economy matters. An economic model built on low wages, weak investment and insecure work generates poor productivity and weak public finances. Inequality is not just unfair, it is inefficient. Strong trade unions, a capable state and sustained investment are not optional extras. They are the institutional foundations of a high productivity economy. Growth and distribution are not opposing goals. As history shows, societies that invest in the capability of their workforce and the stability of their institutions achieve both stronger growth and greater social cohesion.

PCS must therefore focus on rebuilding pay, restoring progression and defending job security, while also being strategic and disciplined in how we win change. Members need a union that listens, involves them in decisions and delivers tangible improvements.

The Democracy Alliance offers that approach: a union rooted in its members, clear in its analysis and serious about winning real change.