Labour Candidate for Islington North

Age: 65

Address: Holloway

Marital status: Married

Children: Three

Interests outside politics: Reading, writing, cycling, gardening, allotments and making things.

Current job: Full-time MP.

Any directorships/ other financial interests: Trustee of many local charities and community groups.

What jobs/ interests will you continue with if elected: Continue with these.

What is your local connection to the area: I moved to London in 1969 and have lived in Islington or Haringey ever since.

If I am elected, the first thing I will do is: I will continue the campaign for regulation in the private rented sector, and work to build more council housing to give people in desperate need a real chance.

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How would you/did you vote on the following issues:

Assisted suicide? I don’t believe we should be talking about assisted dying until our social care and health care systems have been improved sufficiently with focus on the sick and elderly, especially since we are living in an age where longevity is on the rise and so many more elderly people are in need of health care.

Only when we have made enough effort in that direction can the luxury of such a choice be looked at properly.

Gay marriage? I voted in support of equal marriage and I’m pleased that we live in a society in which this has become law, allowing people to openly express their love for each other.

UK military action against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government? I am the Chair of the Stop the War coalition and I opposed the Afganistan and Iraq wars and was part of the group who voted against the supplying of arms and troops to Syria believing that there has to be a peaceful solution. I’ve therefore encouraged involvement with all countries in the region including Iran to try to resurrect the Geneva Peace Process. The situation in Syria is appalling, and the supply of finance and arms to ISIS from various sources is one of the causes of the horrific death toll, as well as the appalling human rights record of the Assad regime.

Smoking in cars? No one should be exposed to passive smoking, therefore any smoking in cars, unless a driver is on their own, inevitably damages the health of other passengers and is very damaging to children so it should be illegal.