At 87 I am Labour’s oldest candidate in this year’s elections.  I was born in the Marylebone area of London and spent my childhood living through the War and coping with the Blitz, blackout and rationing.  Towards the end of hostilities I was evacuated from a capital then being attacked by Hitler’s notorious V1 and V2 rocket missles.

When things calmed down after the War I became an engineer by trade and an active member of the Amalgamated Engineering Union.  My working life lasted from my teenage years through to a well earned retirement in 1996.  Aside from engineering, I also did two years National Service that involved me being stationed in West Germany.

My five decades long career has provided me with a wealth of experiences that I believe will be invaluable to me as a Councillor.  The ward, for instance, is home to many residents who are also fellow pensioners.  A father of two, I also appreciate the difficulties faced by families with young children trying to make ends meet and firmly believe Labour’s plans to invest rather than cut public services will provide a vital lifeline for hard pressed communities such as ours.