Former Labour MP Emma Dent Coad has decided to quit The Labour Party.
Emma Dent Coad is a well-known British politician who has served in a number of capacities throughout her career. A former Labour Member of Parliament (MP), she is known for being outspoken on issues such as inequality, housing, and healthcare.
Here’s a closer look at her background and career:
Early Life and Career
Emma Dent Coad was born in London in 1954. After studying History of Art at the University of Sussex, she began her career as an arts journalist, working for publications such as the Evening Standard, The Observer, and The Independent. She later went on to work as a communications consultant and lecturer.
Political Career
Dent Coad began her political career in the late 1990s, when she became a councillor for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. She remained in this position for many years, and it was during this time that she gained a reputation as a community activist and campaigner. She was also involved in local arts initiatives and worked to promote cultural events in the borough.
In 2017, Dent Coad was elected as the MP for the Kensington constituency as a member of the Labour Party. At the time, she was the first woman to ever hold the position. Her election was significant, as the Kensington constituency had been a Conservative stronghold for many years, and her victory was seen as a sign of Labour’s growing popularity.
During her time as an MP, Dent Coad continued to advocate for social justice and campaigned on a number of key issues. She was an outspoken critic of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s handling of the Grenfell Tower fire, which killed 72 people in 2017. She was also a supporter of the NHS, campaigning against cuts to funding and services.
In 2019, Dent Coad lost her seat in parliament in the general election. Despite the disappointment of her defeat, Dent Coad continued to be an influential figure in the Labour Party and remains an advocate for the causes she has championed throughout her career.
Blocked from standing as a Labour MP
Labour blocked the former Kensington MP Emma Dent Coad from the longlist to fight the seat at the next election, a move which sparked outrage among local campaigners.
Dent Coad, who was elected in 2017 in a shock victory over the Conservatives by just 20 votes, is the leader of the Labour group on the council, and lost her seat in 2019 to the Conservatives.
The former MP, who was a member of the Socialist Campaign Group, the Corbyn-loyal wing of the parliamentary Labour party, was the target of a number of stories in the tabloids during her time as an MP. They included a string of stories on the London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey whom she had called a “token ghetto boy” and “scumbag”.
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