I say it often because it is still hard to believe. A woman of colour, raised in a tenement by migrant parents, now helping lead Glasgow Labour. Representation matters. It shapes how we lead, whose voices we centre, and the futures young people believe are possible.
Glasgow is a city built on hard work, community and pride. But it is also a city that has had to fight for the basics. Safe housing, decent jobs, good schools and public services that work. As councillors, our role is to make sure no community is forgotten. But too often, we are left trying to fix the damage caused by governments that fail to deliver.
Look at the state of our local services. Communities are dealing with underfunded schools, overflowing bins, broken roads and overstretched care systems. These are not just everyday frustrations. They are the result of political choices. And while SNP ministers are quick to blame Westminster, the truth is they have received record levels of funding. The money is there. The powers are there. The priorities are not. Instead of supporting local services, the SNP have centralised control, built up reserves and underspent in critical areas like health and care. Council workers, working class communities and families are left to cope. These are not statistics. These are the people we serve.
Glasgow Labour continues to fight for practical, community-first solutions. From action on women’s safety and demanding investment in housing, to pushing for fairer funding for our young people and backing workers every step of the way, we show up and do the work.
Politics at every level must do better. The Labour government has made progress, from strengthening workers’ rights to delivering record investment. But that progress must not come at the expense of the most vulnerable, from disabled people to pensioners. We can and must deliver real change while staying true to our values.
Another threat is growing. The rise of populist parties and the far-right rhetoric should worry us all. These voices do not offer solutions. They offer scapegoats. They thrive on fear and blame those already excluded. Migrants. Working-class communities. Anyone who looks or sounds different.
In Glasgow, where diversity is our strength, we must push back against that hate. That means taking a stand not just in words but in how we lead and who we lift up.
I have faced abuse. Not for what I say or how I vote, but for the colour of my skin. For daring to lead. For simply existing in spaces where some still believe people like me do not belong.
But I did not come into politics to make people comfortable. I came to make change. For the care worker walking home at night. For the person in need of a home. For the young girl wondering if she is safe or belongs.
She does. And as long as I am here, I will keep fighting. For all our citizens and all our communities. For all who need our help.
