Preet has dropped her statement. It is good.
Supporting statement
Equality matters most when it changes people’s lives. The Women and Equalities Committee should test whether equality law and government policy work in practice and ensure scrutiny leads to action, not another report.
I am standing for Chair because I believe I have the breadth of experience, independence and determination to lead that work effectively.
Despite progress, too many people still experience inequality. Rights mean little if a woman’s pain is dismissed, a disabled person cannot get the support needed to stay in work, an LGBT person faces discrimination, or someone is denied equal opportunity because of their age, race or faith.
These injustices persist and new threats are emerging. Women still pay a disproportionate price for caring through lost earnings, career progression and pensions. Violence against women and girls remains a national emergency.
Women and girls face misogyny in schools, workplaces, public spaces and online, including through non-consensual sexualised deepfake images. Boys and young men can be harmed by online cultures that exploit insecurity and isolation and shape attitudes towards women and girls.
AI can widen opportunity, but it can also reproduce discrimination in recruitment, pay, healthcare and public services. Questions about sex and gender have become deeply polarised. The Committee should bring legal clarity, evidence and respect for everyone’s dignity to these sensitive issues.
These challenges do not sit within one department. The Committee must follow the evidence across government, test whether equality law is properly enforced, anticipate new harms and follow up its recommendations to ensure they lead to change.
My career has been spent where policy meets people’s lives. Before entering Parliament, I spent 18 years in children’s services as a safeguarding manager, working with children and families, in child protection, grooming and domestic abuse. I am a qualified social worker with experience in adult social care, disability and mental health, and served in local government as Cabinet Member for Public Health and Protection.
In nearly ten years as an MP, I have served in government and opposition. As Minister for Health Innovation and Safety, my responsibilities included women’s health, patient safety, disability and SEND, medicines, medical technology and research. I have also served as Shadow Minister for Primary Care and Public Health and Shadow Secretary of State for International Development, where the rights, safety and economic empowerment of women and girls were central to my work.
As the first Sikh woman elected to Parliament, I know representation matters. But it must be matched by institutions that listen, scrutinise and deliver change.
In Parliament, I have worked with colleagues across the House. As Chair, I would ensure every Member had a voice, seek consensus without shying away from disagreement, treat witnesses respectfully, and be independent and unafraid to ask difficult questions of any government.
I offer experience spanning frontline services and government, a record of bringing people together and a determination to turn scrutiny into lasting change. I would be honoured to serve as Chair for all Members and would greatly value your support.