Thanet council deputy leader Helen Whitehead has been announced as the Labour parliamentary candidate to stand for the Herne Bay and Sandwich constituency in the next General Election.
Cllr Whitehead, who says she believes she is the first openly autistic woman to stand for a Parliamentary seat, will be standing against veteran Conservative Sir Roger Gale who has has been MP for North Thanet for more than 40 years.
At the next Parliamentary General Election, the current South Thanet and North Thanet constituencies will no longer exist; the boundaries were updated by the Boundary Commission and the new constituencies will be known as the East Thanet constituency and the Herne Bay and Sandwich constituency.
East Thanet takes in Ramsgate, Broadstairs and most of Margate while Westbrook, Birchington, Garlinge, Thanet villages wards and Westgate form part of a Herne Bay and Sandwich County Constituency.
Announcing her selection, Cllr Whitehead said: “I began this journey because I was asked to be a councillor. I didn’t want to be, at that point. I’d seen what politics was, how unpleasant social media could be, and I’d seen what negative politics produced. Choosing to face into that, as an openly autistic woman, did not seem healthy or wise.
“But representation is important. I have a son, who faces similar challenges to me, and I know that his potential is limitless in a society that understands him; that understands his abilities, and needs and values him for them.
“Since becoming a councillor I have seen the best and the worst of politics. Some of the best has been the level of support I have received, from other councillors and from officers at TDC, in finding who I am, and how I work, and allowing me to realise both my abilities and the importance of autistic people being in political spaces, determining policy, and addressing needs.
“That support, from friends, family, Labour members, councillors, gave me the confidence to try for something I never thought would happen; and this week, with the backing of Unison, The Co-operative Party and Labour Housing Group, I was selected to stand in the General Election for the seat of Herne Bay and Sandwich, which includes a large part of Thanet.
“Everything I have worked on in five years has pushed forward the idea that our foundations, locally and nationally, have to be strong for everything else to function.
“We have increased the production and acquisition of council housing by 700% in less than half a year; we are about to purchase further in house temporary accommodation, to keep residents in area; we have our first year round rough sleeping centre in the form of the RISE centre, providing direct support to some of our most vulnerable residents. We are improving the energy ratings of our homes, and integrating environmental and energy saving measures, and exploring passive house models to ensure that what we are building is what is needed, and can support future generations.
“These things can be done locally; but the power of influencing policy nationally to support councils in delivering these things is immeasurable.”
Cllr Whitehead says being an MP would mean making changes at national level in areas such as housing development targets and provision of affordable homes.
She added: “I’m not going to pretend that doing this doesn’t terrify me. I’m very aware of how unpleasant politics can be; the only thing I can do in response to that is not play that game, and stick, as I always have done in any election I have stood in, to the Jo Cox election pledge; there is no way to stop negative politics, other than by consistently modelling positive politics.
“I will never attack or belittle other candidates; I have no need to. I do not need to bring others down in order to make myself look better; it is, as it should always be, your work that makes you stand out.
“I am incredibly privileged and proud to have been chosen for this seat; and I will work my hardest for it.
“In an area that struggles so much in terms of SEN provision, I think it is hugely significant that we have had the first openly autistic Deputy Leader of a Council, and now, we believe, the first openly autistic woman standing to become an MP.
“Our little corner of the world is extraordinary; we face huge challenges, and we always rise to them. I will rise to this challenge.”
For East Thanet candidates are, so far, Craig Mackinlay (Conservative) Polly Billington (Labour) and Steve Roberts (Green).
The next United Kingdom general election must be held no later than 28 January 2025 with Parliament being dissolved no later than 17 December 2024. However, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said he expects to call a general election “in the second half” of 2024.
