By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter
While the next general election might not be scheduled until January 2025, election fever is already brewing to find a new MP for Camberwell and Peckham.
Labour’s Harriet Harman announced she would be retiring as MP for the area in December last year. Now, 10 months on, the contest to replace her is heating up, with seven people already announcing their bids.
Ms Harman, who has been MP for the area since 1982, is the UK’s longest continuously-serving female MP. The seventy-two-year-old was elected with a majority of 33,780 in 2019 – making Peckham and Camberwell the 19th safest seat in the country.
The seven hopefuls who have announced their intention to replace Ms Harman at the next election are listed below.
Evelyn Akoto
Southwark councillor Evelyn Akoto set out her ambition to become Peckham and Camberwell’s next Labour candidate in a campaign video shot outside cinema, Peckhamplex. Cllr Akoto, who is Southwark’s health lead, drew on her South London roots in the video – narrating her childhood growing up on the Aylesbury Estate before going on to acquire a masters degree and join the Labour Party. The mum-of-three went on to say she wanted all kids to have the opportunities that she had to fight for.
Marina Ahmad
The London Assembly member for Southwark and Lambeth was only elected to her current role last year, but has announced her intention to swap City Hall for Westminster. Ms Ahmad, who was previously a councillor in Bromley, said her experience at the London Assembly meant she had the experience to succeed as an MP. She said she’d improve local transport, tackle poverty and fix the NHS if elected.
Peter Babudu
Ex-Labour councillor for Rye Lane in Peckham, Peter Babudu announced he would run in September. In his campaign video, Mr Babudu told how his family’s council home and access to an Educational Maintenance Allowance helped him become a solicitor. Mr Babudu, who grow up in the area, said he helped to put a stop to rising school exclusions in Southwark as a councillor,
Miatta Fahnbulleh
Trained economist Ms Fahnbulleh launched her campaign in September with a sleek video, interspersed with clips of her appearances as a talking head on BBC shows including Question Time and Politics Live. Ms Fahnbulleh, who worked under Gordon Brown during the 2010 financial crisis, said she would fight for ideas including a Green New Deal and free childcare for all as an MP for the area.
Maurice Mcleod
Labour councillor for Battersea Park in Wandsworth and outgoing boss of anti-racism charity Race on the Agenda, Mr Mcleod told newspaper The Voice he would fight for mass council house building if he was elected. He said he’d seen people forced out of the area due to surging house prices. Mr Mcleod also supports a £15 minimum wage.
Johnson Situ
The ex-councillor for Peckham announced he would stand to replace Harriet Harman in August. Mr Situ, who grew up in the area, said some of the main issues affecting Peckham and Camberwell were “racism, inequality, poverty [and] a lack of opportunity” in his campaign video. He said that as a councillor he had helped to create 2,000 local apprenticeships and contributed to Southwark’s council house-building programme.
Sunny Lambe
Southwark Labour councillor Sunny Lambe announced his intention to run on LinkedIn with the slogan “Let’s make it sunny together.” Cllr Lambe’s campaign poster said that he was “committed to working with all communities to ensure that no one is left behind.” He has been a Labour member since 1999.
Pictured top: Harriet Harman, Labour MP for Peckham and Camberwell, is standing down at the next election (Picture: UK Parliament)
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