A campaigner and volunteer has been chosen to contest Harrow East in the 2015 general election for Labour.
Uma Kumaran was selected by Labour members on Saturday after putting herself forward in a women-only campaign and is delighted to have her party put their faith in her at just 27 years of age.
"It's been a bit of a whirlwind and I've hardly slept just because of the adrenaline," she told the Observer in her first interview since winning.
Uma attended Newton Farm Primary School, Bentleywood High School and St Dominic's Sixth Form College, going on to work for the NHS before taking an internship as a caseworker for a Labour MP, and she believes her background as a Harrow girl is what makes her the ideal candidate.
She said: "My commitment to the cause comes from being from Harrow because the Conservatives are the people who are pricing my friends out of buying a house or making going to University almost impossible for them – these are my friends and that is what I want to fight against."
The now-candidate, who volunteers at Radio Northwick Park while working at Islington Council, also voiced disappointed with the split in the Labour Group at Harrow Council which handed the Tories power.
"I want to practice a new politics, and so does Labour nationally, and it is about staying in touch with your community," she said. "I think that is what some people have lost sight of in the Independent Labour Group in Harrow. They have put their egos above their duty to the community."
Uma's parents are both Tamil and fled Sri Lanka to England in the midst of a civil war, and believes Harrow's diversity is central to what makes it so great.
"Nationally at the moment we are having a debate about immigration, and it is important to have that debate, but I believe that in Harrow, we are a success story of modern multicultural Britain. That is what makes it such a great place to live."
Gareth Thomas, Labour’s MP for Harrow West said: “Uma will be a first-class MP standing up for the people of Harrow East. It will be a pleasure to campaign with her to reverse the cuts in police numbers in Harrow, for a better Northwick Park and to get more investment in our schools.
“Together we will be highlighting the pressure on the living standards of too many Harrow families as a result of unchecked energy bills and the squeeze on wages since David Cameron took office.”
Uma will contest the constituency against current Conservative MP for Harrow East Bob Blackman in May 2015.
