My name is Hanif Khan, and I would like, with your support, to be the parliamentary candidate for Earley and Woodley Constituency, a newly formed parliamentary seat.
Earley and Woodley, has over 70,000 people in the Constituency and a diverse multicultural community. There are many whose lives are blighted by poverty and live on benefits, and many are striving to survive on low pay and keep their heads above water. For many, there is no choice between energy and food, and their choices are minimal and can’t be realised.
There are many suffering.
Those on higher incomes are often isolated in their own homes and have seen their mortgages sore.
For those who rent, many within our community are now forced out of the market due to rising rent charges and the cost of living crisis.
We need and should have more social housing that is affordable and built with the community in mind, transportation, doctors, schools, security, amenities and well-lit places.
Many generations of families now live here, with strong links to London. And with the Elizabeth Line and improved motorways, it’s ideal for many to make this area a destination for work, home and leisure.
The Earley and Woodley seat will comprise locations from Church and Whiteley to Bulmershe and Whitegates through Sonning and Shinfield.
I am committed to serving the Constituency and you all – I have a lifetime of experience uniting diverse communities and fighting for equality of opportunity for all. When in Westminster, I will represent your ambitions, your aspirations and how you might have been left behind after more than a generation of Tory rule.
All of us want a roof over our heads. We want to aspire to a better life and wish to develop ourselves by working hard. Our current government has not rewarded that hard work. I want to work with you to make a change, a change for the better, and a change for always. Artificial Intelligence, AI, is already here, and we need to maximise the benefits and, at the same time, protect ourselves from malice.
Speaking to many of you, I appreciate the challenges that are at the forefront of your minds, whether it is the cost of living crisis or whether you have been squeezed of rented property within the Constituency or school places for our children.
We see sewage flowing into rivers. Water companies will need to be held accountable, and so close to home, we see the river Loddon polluted.
There is a need for more affordable public Transport; ticket offices are closing across our country, and Earley Station is no exception, not forgetting the lack of bus routes and their insufficient frequency.
Businesses are suffering with the costs of overheads, and simply keeping their heads above water is becoming a lifetime struggle. I will work to solve the business rate inequality. Theft from shops is becoming out of control. Some of us have lost all and everything. We will end the £200 rule to tackle the shoplifting gangs. A law brought in by the Tories means shop thefts under £200 are not investigated even if the same gang comes back time and again.
We also see crime on the increase, with many suffering loss due to anti-social behaviour and increased assaults. Knife crime has gone up by 75% in eight years. Car crime and violence against women and girls have been unacceptable for a long time.
Developing family values and equality for all is about who I am. Family is a vital and coherent value I adhere to.
I grew up with my parents working hard, and my father, a socialist, inspired me to work for change that would make a difference. I am indebted to my parent’s sacrifices for me and my five siblings. My mum sewed clothes to ensure our family had food on the table and we had a secure home where we all could live. I am a carer for my father, who gave so much to our society but asked and expected so very little.
I have run my business for more than 20 years, which has taken me worldwide and worked with award-winning companies like Sky News. I am a Union member of BECTU Prospects and the Community Union, all of whom champion small business owners and freelancers. Recently, they have, along with the Fabian Society, produced a game-changing manifesto called the Progressive Plan for Self-Employed People in the UK.
I am a campaigner for change. I have experience as an elected councillor for eight years, working on the front bench in Transport, community protection, levelling up and working to unite the community. I understand the pressures and commitment to supporting you in Parliament. I am chair of our local Co-operative Party – a part of Labour that works towards a more equal society. We need that society, one which Labour leads in government.
I work closely with SME4 Labour and Labour for Business, connecting and understanding the challenges and opportunities of business, such as the opportunities closer to home, Winnersh Triangle, Thames Valley Business Park, the growth of the IT sector, a massive potential for Earley and Woodley to seize on—education, employment and entrepreneurship.
We will recruit businesses to come to Earley and Woodley in the tech and media space. We have one of the biggest studios in Shinfield being developed, where some of the greatest stories will be told. I want to Encourage Reading students to stay here after graduating and give them the opportunities to have fulfilling lives.
I understand the pressures and commitment to supporting you in Parliament. I will work with you, listen and develop a campaign for change, make a difference and fight for more Westminister attention.
We will gradually change our society for the better and realise our ambitions and aspirations.
- Whether it’s working towards new green energy,
- Improving our Environment,
- Changing the face of the NHS for the better,
- Training new doctors and nurses, reducing high waiting lists,
- Safe and secure in your homes, the prosperity of our nation.
- Break down the barrier to opportunity.
I will be there with you at every step of the way.
Earley and Woodley will have their own identity that we can all be proud of. No matter who you are or where you come from, we are one community; we will beat as one – We are one.
That’s what I will do.
Thank you.
Hanif