Tamsin Suarez

Policy areas:

Going into politics was never a plan for me. I was raised as a working-class girl with no intentions of creating a life for myself in the political arena. For a lot of young women, the idea of the political world has been very distant.

The fact is that it's hard to be what you can't see. It's hard to be a woman in politics when for so long we've seen political dominated by men. The same is true if you're a person of colour, a member of the LGBT community, or you're working class. A society that is managed BY lawyers will be managed FOR lawyers. Together Gibraltar is not about that. It's about you and me. It's about challenging the power of the elite and returning it back to the people. But it's hard to be what you can't see. That's why we're fighting for a representative politics.

I am a working mother of eight children who has been tenaciously fighting for a better and more representative society for over 10 years. I am a manager who has worked in the field of finance, compliance and procurement and most recently in support services and project management. I have chaired various charities and associations politically advocating for social justice in areas such as equal and gender rights. I have worked with new mothers, with fathers, with pensioners and with those who need help to understand their rights.

I know that battles can be testing. My eldest son was diagnosed with leukaemia at the age of two and I had to fight for his treatment, fight to keep him alive and to stay strong. It is hard to watch your child suffer. But it's in the toughest times that our character is revealed. There are more people in our community facing tough times than you would think. Many in our community face challenges of their own. We are not immune to grotesque inequality. Gibraltar is gradually becoming more elitist.

My passion for human rights has inspired me and I am studying law as a distance learner. I have never been afraid to challenge social boundaries and norms even when I am the sole dissenting voice bold enough to say what many in our community are thinking. I bring a fresh perspective to a stagnant area. If I am elected into Parliament, I will continue to serve as your bold voice.

Every day Gibraltar has been changing but who is it changing for? It continues to get harder for working families like yours and mine.

My vision is for a Gibraltar where every working family can afford to live in their homeland. We need a representative politics to achieve that. Women have not been accepted fully into politics and therefore areas where women could make huge steps. These include equality and length of maternity and paternity leave with a liveable allowance. Where the community feels safe and accepted. That equality of pay and pension is achievable. Jobs go to the person with the best ability, not the one with the right contacts. We all breathe the same air and I would like to see a Gibraltar where no one is left behind. An elected government that is equal and proportional and gives everyone a say and a voice. I want to create real change. It sounds courageous because it is - We will transform Gibraltar. I look forward to you joining us in that effort.