April 2nd 2022

Our candidates in Kingston were joined by Dr Rosena Allin-Khan Shadow Minister for Mental Health and MP for Tooting, after her recent humanitarian aid trip to the Ukraine.

We know how much the pandemic has had a long term impact on people’s physical and mental health. Rosena spoke to local residents about the issues they faced, and how cuts to services have impacted their wellbeing.

Many people have struggled, and existing inequalities have been heightened. Older people, working people, disabled people, and children – everyone, should have high quality services available to them at the point of need. Social care, and health care funding cuts have left many older and disabled people without the care they need.

Good public services are vital to help people thrive, and a council that invests in its community is a council that cares about its community, which his why  we will prioritise investment in our community and work to reverse the last few years of local cuts.

• We will invest in children’s centres and provide grants for community play cafés and youth clubs and activities for young people.
• We will make eliminating child poverty a key measure of all council activity.
• We will work with public health and the voluntary sector to Increase quality of mental health services and prevent of escalation of poor mental health.
• Labour will work with public health to ensure investment and excellent services for people in Kingston.
• We will create new allotment plots and gardens on council owned land such as council estates and parks.

Labour’s Candidate for Norbiton, Marcela Benedetti said “It was fantastic to have Dr Rosena Allin-Khan in Norbiton to speak to residents. She was asked about her recent experiences training medical staff in Ukraine, and what more we can do to help. The local community in Norbiton and across Kingston, have been so keen to do what they can to help those facing war. We have such a wonderful and compassionate community, which also shone through during covid.”