Momentum boss who vowed to 'shut down the streets' launches bid to be Labour MP
2 min read
A senior Momentum official who called for mass protests at Boris Johnson's decision to suspend Parliament has launched a fresh bid to become a Labour MP.
Laura Parker, the pro-Jeremy Corbyn group's national co-ordinator, said she wants to stand for the party in Enfield North and "take our movement into Parliament".
The seat is currently held by Joan Ryan, who quit Labour earlier this year to join the Independent Group.
Ms Parker had previously been forced to abandon plans to be chosen as Labour's candidate for Vauxhall, the constituency where she lives and which has been represented by Kate Hoey for 30 years.
Last month, Ms Parker called on people to "occupy bridges and blockade roads" after the Prime Minister's bid to prorogue Parliament for five weeks was revealed.
She said: "This is an establishment coup by a tiny, privileged elite who have been eroding our democracy for decades.
"Real power doesn’t sit with the Queen or in Parliament. It’s with us, the people - and that’s why we need to take action."
She added: “There are thousands of us who will join an occupation of Parliament and block the roads before we let Johnson close the doors on democracy.
"Our message to Johnson is this: if you steal our democracy, we’ll shut down the streets."
Joan Ryan regained Enfield North for Labour from Tory Nick de Bois at the 2015 general election and was re-elected with a majority of 10,000 two years later.
Ms Parker, who will announce her candidacy on Wednesday, said: "The establishment will come for us with all they’ve got. The tax avoiders, dodgy landlords and oil barons who destroy our climate. They know Labour is on the side of ordinary people. They know we’ll take them on, and we’ll win.
"As Momentum’s national co-ordinator I’ve been part of a movement that has stood up to the establishment. Now I want to take our movement into Parliament.
"I’m ready to represent Enfield North, back Jeremy Corbyn and help implement the most ambitious, transformational programme this country has ever seen.
"Nobody voted for an Eton-educated millionaire to hijack our democracy, force through a no-deal Brexit and sell off our public services to US corporations, and I look forward to campaigning against him at a general election."
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