Jess Carson

I grew up in a small seaside town called South Shields, I got into politics because I wanted to help my region, the North East has been the driving force of everything I do, I’m so proud of my broad accent and my background that I joined the Labour Party in 2022 at 17.

We have a saying back home - or ‘yhem’ - that “shy bairns get nowt” (or “shy children get nothing” - for all my non-geordies) and being a shy and (at the time) undiagnosed autistic teenage girl who knew no one in my local party, I didn’t get involved for almost a year.

This is the main reason I am running. I want to build a Young Labour North for all of us, to reach out to new young members and offer a supportive step towards getting out there and involved in the party! And for our experienced young members, to ensure your voice is heard and take your feedback to bring more events, training and campaign days that are accessible for all in the region - not just in London.

With local elections around the corner, and the rise of reform in our areas, we will need a strong campaigning force to fight in our upcoming elections across the North East and Cumbria, I want to make sure all our young members can get out there by breaking down the barriers and connecting our northern labour movement from our gorgeous urban centres to our quaint rural villages.