Labour Party members have selected Dr Rebecca Gordon-Nesbitt as their Parliamentary hopeful to fight for the South Thanet seat in the next General Election.
The vote took place today (April 7) at The Gap Project in Broadstairs.
Other candidates included county councillor Karen Constantine and Ramsgate business woman Raushan Ara.
Dr Gordon-Nesbitt, who is of English and Iranian heritage, became a permanent resident of Ramsgate in early 2014 Before then she lived in Glasgow for 12 years and Helsinki for two years, working as a curator of contemporary art.
In July 2015, she registered as a supporter of the Labour Party so she could vote for Jeremy Corbyn as leader. She became a member of the Ramsgate branch of the South Thanet constituency Labour Party, taking a role as auditor and delegate to the General Committee.
Dr Gordon-Nesbitt is a researcher to Lord Howarth of Newport, a Labour peer and former MP. Her work involves interrogating Government policy, scrutinising evidence, consulting people from diverse backgrounds, drafting reports and briefing documents, advocating culture change and making submissions to Select Committee and other public-sector inquiries.
Following the announcement she said: ”
Rebecca said: “I am very proud to be Labour’s candidate for the next general election in Thanet.
“More than 50,000 people in Thanet live in poverty and it is only a Labour government that is offering real change and hope.
“I will work tirelessly towards securing a more equal and sustainable future for South Thanet. I am determined to demonstrate that it is Labour that can make a real difference to our community.”
“This result represents the victory of a new kind of inclusive, collective politics. Gone are the days of local MPs acting as the gatekeepers between people and power. Our campaign relied totally on teamwork, on “we” not “I” — and that’s how we’re going to win this seat for Labour.”
