Emily was elected to Parliament as Islington South & Finsbury’s MP in the General Election on 5 May 2005. She has lived in Islington for 12 years and has three young children who attend state schools. Raised by a single parent living on a council estate, her early experiences as a child have always motivated her both personally and politically. Previously Emily stood in the 2001 General Election in Canterbury, halving the Tory majority.

Emily has a strong sense of justice and traditional Labour values. She has been active in anti-racist campaigns across London. She campaigned successfully at the national level with trade unions and parents’ groups for more family-friendly employment policies and access to childcare – particularly for women. She was chair of the London Labour Women’s committee and Central Region Representative on the London Labour Regional Board. She is a member of the TGWU and has strong links with other trade unions.
As a human rights lawyer in the chambers of Mike Mansfield QC, she has many years’ experience of representing people as a criminal lawyer, working to achieve greater justice, equality and human rights.

Emily is a regular cyclist and is chair of the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group (APPCG). She also has a strong commitment to protecting the environment and tackling climate change. She is a member of the Environmental Audit Committee in the House of Commons: the Committee responsible for scrutinising the impact of Government policy on the Environment. Emily was also sponsor of the Climate Change Bill which aimed to set mandatory targets for reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

Most of all, Emily cares about poverty and disadvantage in Islington and across London. It is for this reason that she’s is taking part in the Westminster Challenge to raise money for Islington based Children’s Society, which works to help marginalized and disadvantaged children.