Press statement
I am resigning from Peterborough City Council because this is the best thing I could do for residents.
A year into being a councillor, I wrote an article for Labour List stating: “I was young, passionate, and unashamedly ambitious—not for power, but for change. On polling day, I became the youngest councillor in the UK, winning by a landslide. That should have been the start of something empowering. But what followed was a sharp lesson in how politics still treats young women who step into the spotlight.”
To this day, that could not feel more true. As much as I have enjoyed supporting residents and trying to help people get the support they need, I have not always been able to do this effectively because I have never truly felt comfortable within the council or within a system that I do not believe always acts with the best intentions.
Over time, I have witnessed a culture where power can too easily go unchecked, where protecting reputations can take priority over accountability, and where difficult issues are too often quietly managed rather than openly addressed. I cannot continue to be part of a system where I feel there are systemic cover-ups, a lack of transparency, and an environment that too often discourages people from speaking honestly when something is wrong.
This decision has not been easy, because I care deeply about residents and about public service. However, I believe stepping away is the most honest and responsible thing I can do.