Posted 14 November 2024
Single mum Harriet ran for Parliament in the 2024 General Election. As the Women’s Equality Party candidate, she stood against Conservative MP and then Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt. We’re delighted that she’s shared her experiences with us.
At the time, I was an 18-year-old mum, trying to upskill myself. I chose to make the sacrifice, even though childcare costs for my baby daughter were higher than my rent. My daughter is older now, and my childcare costs have decreased, but for too many families it’s extortionately expensive.
I joined the Women’s Equality Party because I want young women – particularly young mums – to have the support they need. Young women (18-29) face inequality from the start of their working lives. On average, they earn a fifth less each year than a young man of the same age. And for some groups, such as racial minorities, the income gap is even larger.
The other, larger, parties aren’t doing nearly enough to tackle poverty and invest in public services. Single-parent families (90% headed by women), families whose working hours are affected by childcare, many groups minoritized by ethnicity, disabled people, unpaid carers and renters all face disproportionately high levels of poverty.
Policies from the traditional parties didn’t seem to help single parents or reflect the reality of society. I wanted to see much more ambition on things that would make a difference – investment in our public services, social security and the care sector. We targeted the seat of an MP who has overseen enormous cuts to our public services in his various cabinet roles: Jeremy Hunt’s constituency of Godalming and Ash in Surrey.
I don’t live in the constituency, but I felt that I had more in common with many voters than the millionaire Jeremy Hunt. I’m a parent, dealing with the staggering cost of childcare, NHS waiting lists and the difficulties of being a small business owner in a cost-of-living crisis. I believed that many voters would relate to these shared experiences.
The American politician Rob McKenna once said: ‘You can study politics in school, but the best way to understand the process is to volunteer your time.’ Standing in the election proved that to be true.
Running for Parliament was the most challenging professional experience I’ve ever had. In less than 6 weeks I had to digest party policies and learn on the job. Meeting other politicians, writers, broadcasters and journalists makes you feel like a small fish in a big pond. I was battling imposter syndrome and crippling self-doubt. I’m not a quitter by nature, but I’d forgotten how much grit it takes to work at something new.
Of course, I had reservations. Black and brown women in the UK are often burnt out by the political arena – just look at the experiences of women like Dawn Butler and Diane Abbott. And being a single mum adds another layer of challenge.
One of the hustings I took part in was advertised to run until 9pm. When I arrived, I found the organisers wanted to run until 10pm. I was the only woman on the panel, and a single parent. So I had a choice. I could either call my sitter and hope they could stay an hour longer, or – as the organisers suggested – I could leave on time, and let the panel go on without me. This would have meant that the men on the panel had a whole extra hour to make their case to voters, while I’d be forced to make my excuses and leave. It was awkward, but I stood my ground. In the end, the organisers were understanding, and agreed to finish on time.
This kind of exclusion is rife in politics. Our whole economy is built on unpaid care which is undervalued and ignored – because it’s mostly done by women.
But on the whole, I was pleasantly surprised. I joined my fellow candidates for 2 out of the 3 hustings I was invited to in the constituency. They made me feel very welcome, and the audience’s response was positive. On election night, Jeremy Hunt won the seat by a narrow margin, but it was crucial that he was held accountable, and I’m proud to have played a role in that.
I’m still involved in politics, both locally and nationally. I’m an active member of the Camden Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) and on a national level I’m continuing to serve as deputy leader of the WEP.
The odds are stacked against smaller parties in our political system. But I firmly believe in ‘A new way of doing politics’. That’s the title of a book kindly given to me by Steve Williams, the Green Party representative, on the election count night. We were incredibly proud to have a shared platform with the Greens in this election, with a joint vision of a green, caring economy. It’s a testament to the power of collaboration – and how, by collaborating more, we can offer more to voters.
After the election, I received some lovely messages on LinkedIn and other forums, inviting me back to Surrey for further collaborative work and genuinely wishing me well in my career. I feel like I’ve formed lifelong connections beyond the 2024 General Election!’
