Accommodations: Passfield Hall, Carr-Saunders Hall, College Hall, Connaught Hall, International Hall, The Garden Halls, Urbanest King’s Cross, High Holborn Residence
Holborn & St Pancras
Labour: Sir Keir Starmer (Incumbent)
General:
· Current Shadow Brexit Secretary, formerly Head of the Crown Prosecution Service.
· Worked for many years as a defence barrister specializing in human rights.
· Historically associated with New Labour politics but has shown some embrace of more left-wing positions in the Shadow Cabinet.
· Supposedly was the inspiration for Colin Firth’s character in Bridget Jones (possibly fabricated, but so the rumour goes).
Brexit: Largely advocated for a Soft Brexit with a permanent customs union and close relationship with the single market – but since 2018 has also supported the idea of a second confirmatory referendum.
Conservative: Alexandra Hayward
General:
· Formerly an NHS nurse working in Farringdon, currently a District Councillor in Three Rivers, Hertfordshire.
· Campaign has thus far highlighted few direct policy preferences beyond those raised in the Conservative manifesto.
Brexit: Refuses to confirm whether she voted to Remain or Leave in 2016, but now pledges to “get Brexit done”.
Liberal Democrats: Matthew Kirk
General:
· Former barrister working in criminal law.
· Outspoken supporter of all main Liberal Democrat talking points in this election, namely to stop Brexit, address climate change, and secure higher funding for local services.
Brexit: Firm Remainer – his initial statement to voters describes how he has “campaigned to promote European co-operation for over twenty-five years”
Brexit Party: Hector Birchwood
General:
· LSE alumnus and former Beaver cartoonist.
· Former reality TV “Heir Hunter”, a detective of sorts who searches for the living relatives of deceased individuals without a last will.
· Aside from advocating for the Brexit Party’s suggested PR voting reform, dedicates significant time on attacking on opponent Sir Keir Starmer, whom he describes as “the poster boy of our broken political system”.
Brexit: Self-explanatory.
Other – Green: Kirsten de Keyser, Socialist Equality: Thomas Scripps
Cities of London & Westminster
Accommodations: Grosvenor House, Northumberland House, Nutford House, Lilian Penson Hall
Labour: Gordon Nardell QC
General:
· Barrister who became a key and controversial figure in the Labour anti-Semitism scandal as the initial QC overseeing response to the complaints – his tenure as General Counsel was described by a Jewish Labour Movement spokesperson as “remarkable only for the absolute chaos and political manipulation… which took place under his watch.”
· Emphasises housing as a key issue – this constituency is home to some of the priciest real estate in London and has faced substantial pressure on its social housing from property developers.
Brexit: Little specific said thus far – but has extensive experience in EU law and advising on Brexit-related issues as a legal professional.
Conservative: Nickie Aiken
General:
· Current leader of the Westminster council, former press secretary to William Hague.
· Replacing incumbent Conservative MP Mark Field, the former minister who famously manhandled an environmental protestor on camera earlier this year.
· Highlights tackling rough sleeping, higher police numbers, and preventing overuse of short-term letting on platforms such as Airbnb as priorities.
Brexit: “Get it done”.
Liberal Democrats: Chuka Umunna
General:
· Former Labour MP and co-founder of Change UK, which he left to join the Liberal Democrats in June 2019.
· Running for the first time in London & Westminster after years as the Labour representative for his home constituency of Streatham.
· Regularly publishes columns in The Independent, opining on everything from NHS reform to immigration to the Labour anti-Semitism scandal.
· Broadly associated with centrist, Blairite positions.
Brexit: Strongly pro-Remain.
Brexit Party: Georgine Thorburn
General:
· Comes from a career restoring documents damaged in accidents and calamities. Attempting to describe her previous work, her profile on the Brexit Party website contains this unfortunate formulation: “She has been involved in most of our nation’s major disasters ranging from the Piper Alpha oil well catastrophy [sic] in the North Sea, terrorist bombings and the flash flooding around the country over the last 28 years”. Might be worth having a look at that wording, Nigel.
· Campaign has included a little-seen YouTube clip where she stands outside of the BBC headquarters railing against the “left-wing liberal elite” who supposedly run the nation’s media.
· Like other candidates in this constituency, highlights lack of housing, rising property prices, and absentee landlords as key issues.
Brexit: Hard Brexit – but according to her Brexit Party profile, she “loves the European countries for their individuality”.
Other – Green: Zack Polanski, Women’s Equality: Jenn Selby, Liberal: Dirck van Heck
Constituency Trivia: As a heavily Remain-voting (72%) but traditionally Conservative constituency, this is set to be a key battleground, primarily between moderate Tory Nickie Aiken and arch-Remainer Chuka Umunna. Georgine Thorburn’s presence on the ballot is somewhat odd – although the Brexit Party Westminster website states that she is still running, this would appear to violate Nigel Farage’s pledge to not contest previously Tory-won seats.
Bermondsey & Old Southwark
Accommodations: Bankside House, Sidney Webb House, Butler’s Wharf
Labour: Neil Coyle (Incumbent)
General:
· Priorities included opposition to Universal Credit welfare reforms, tackling homelessness, and knife crime.
· Noted opponent of Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, despite initial support, who narrowly escaped potential deselection.
· Recently found himself in hot water for referring to Boris Johnson as a “dick” on television, followed by calling Piers Morgan a “scrote” who should “go fuck [him]self” on Twitter.
Brexit: Strongly Remain – was one of 47 MPs who disobeyed the Labour Party three-line whip to vote for triggering Article 50 in 2017, and has advocated for its revocation ever since.
Conservative: Andrew Baker
General:
· Claimed priorities include the building of affordable housing, air pollution, and retaining both the academy system and OFSTED.
· Legal professional with a background in the City, having also provided campaign support for the Conservatives in preceding elections and the Scottish independence referendum.
Brexit: Quiet on specifics, but does allude to “deliver[ing]” it.
Liberal Democrat: Humaira Ali
General:
· Currently stands on Southwark Council.
· Emphasises better quality and more affordable housing, police shortages, and funding for schools, youth services, and infrastructure.
Brexit: Remain
Brexit Party: Alex Matthews
General:
· Former Labour party member (albeit with no active political experience).
· Discusses few points of policy other than Brexit, although he has defended the Brexit Party against accusations of “cryptofascism” from Neil Coyle and labelled the EU a “racist institution”.
Brexit: Hard Brexit.
Islington South & Finsbury
Accommodations: Rosebery Hall
Labour: Emily Thornberry (Incumbent)
General:
· Current Shadow Foreign Secretary, formerly held multiple Shadow Cabinet positions.
· Key role in defining Labour’s foreign policy positions in the upcoming election.
· Priorities have included affordable housing, equal pay, and defence spending reform.
· A controversial figure in the Labour Party due to a number of public and private gaffes, and frequent conflict with party leadership over Brexit.
Brexit: Passionate Remainer: has been pictured dressed as the EU flag in recent months.
Conservative: Jason Charalambous
General:
· Lawyer and former Conservative councillor for Enfield.
· Few distinguishing policy priorities aside from the standard Conservative talking points in this election.
Brexit: “Get Brexit done”
Liberal Democrat: Kate Pothalingham
General:
· Relatively new to politics, having joined the Liberal Democrats in 2017 after a career in financial services.
· Professed priorities include education funding, improved adult learning opportunities, investment in the NHS (particularly in mental health), and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Brexit: Strong Remainer – originally became politically active in order to support a Remain position.
Brexit Party: Paddy Hannam
General:
· Writer for the anti-establishment, far-right/far-left (depending on which is the more contrarian position to take at the time) publication Spiked, and according to its author profiles is still a student.
· Noted climate change sceptic, describing going carbon neutral as a “massive waste of money”. The majority of his Spiked articles revolve around this contention.
Brexit: Hard Brexit
Other – Green: Talia Hussain, Monster Raving Looney: Sandys of Bunhill
Constituency Trivia: Although Emily Thornberry has held this seat without serious opposition since 2005, significant headway by the Liberal Democrats in this heavily Remain-supporting constituency have seen it placed on the Labour Party’s ‘at risk’ list.
Bethnal Green & Bow
Accommodations: Lilian Knowles House
Labour: Rushanara Ali (Incumbent)
General:
· Priorities included investment in education, restructuring bills for leaseholders, unemployment, protecting remittances, and foreign aid.
· Campaign pledges include enforcing a £10 per hour living wage, affordable housing in the East End, support for carers, equitable funding for schools, and tackling air pollution.
· a significant critic of Jeremy Corbyn who was almost ousted by Momentum activists earlier this year.
Brexit: Defied Labour three-line whip on triggering article 50 – since then has advocated against a Hard Brexit, rather than complete revocation.
Conservative: Nicholas Stovold
General:
· Conservative Party Area Chairman for Wiltshire & Swindon.
· Campaign priorities have included tackling knife crime, mental health support, and interestingly, what he labels “water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)”.
Brexit: Very little said on Brexit directly – but his Twitter feed does indicate support for Boris’ deal.
Liberal Democrat: Josh Babarinde
General:
· LSE alumnus and founder of Cracked It, an enterprise that aids young ex-offenders find employment.
· Professed priorities include tackling knife crime and investment in youth services.
Brexit: Remain
Brexit Party: David Axe
General:
· Last minute replacement for Marc Sidwell, The Telegraph’s Head of Personal Finance. Bafflingly, Sidwell is the author of a book entitled The Case Against Brexit: Why Britain Must Remain in the European Union with an endorsement from Jacob Rees-Mogg on the front cover. Or, it seems baffling until you open it and realise that it’s a novelty book full of blank pages.
· taken time to express support for the Brexit Party’s proposed abolition of the House of Lords.
Brexit: On the board of Invoke Democracy Now, a campaign demanding obeisance to the “democratic mandate” of the 2016 vote through an immediate Hard Brexit.
Other – Green: Shahrar Ali, Animal Welfare: Vanessa Hudson
Vauxhall
Accommodations: Urbanest Westminster Bridge
Labour and Co-Op: Florence Eshalomi
General:
· Running jointly for Labour and the Co-Operative Party.
· Current London assembly member for Lambeth and Southwark – priorities in this position have included tackling gang violence and highlighting the effects of austerity on violent crime.
· More centrist position in the Labour Party – an attempted trigger ballot against her London Assembly position was launched earlier this year by Momentum affiliates, although the organisation itself has since criticised the action and voiced their support for her candidacy.
Brexit: Remain
Conservative: Sarah Bool
General:
· Mayfair-based real estate lawyer and Conservative Party activist since age 9, reportedly.
· Key focus of campaign has been “safer streets” and the prevention of knife crime – advocating for the immediate arrest and charge within 24 hours of anyone found in possession of a knife.
Brexit: You guessed it – “Get Brexit done”.
Liberal Democrat: Sarah Lewis
General:
· Along with the standard Liberal Democrat talking points priorities include building new council houses and tackling rising rents.
· highlighted the Labour-led council’s demolition of council houses in the constituency – a Labour safe seat for decades – as a key battle line.
Brexit: Remain.
Brexit Party: Andrew McGuiness
General:
· A last minute replacement for previous candidate Hortense Sheppard.
· Little is known about this mysterious new candidate, apart from the fact that he shares a name with an intensely Remain-supporting Liberal Democrat activist in Manchester (who steals a certain amount of his limelight on Twitter).
Brexit: It’s safe to assume that a Hard Brexit is on the cards.
Other – Independent: Salah Faissal, Green: Jacqueline Bond
Constituency Trivia: Vauxhall had the highest Remain vote in the UK at 79%, yet still re-elected deeply Eurosceptic Labour MP/professed DUP voter Kate Hoey in 2017.
