Who is Heidi Alexander and why has she quit? Ex-Lewisham East MP and new London deputy mayor
Here's what you need to know about the new deputy Mayor of London Heidi Alexander
LABOUR Leader Jeremy Corbyn was dealt a fresh blow after Lewisham East MP Heidi Alexander said she will quit the Commons to work for Sadiq Khan at City Hall.
The ex-shadow health secretary left the Labour boss's top team in June 2016 and has now become the deputy mayor for transport in London - here's what you need to know.
Who is Heidi Alexander?
Heidi Alexander, 43, was born in Swindon, Wiltshire and is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Lewisham East since the 2010 general election until her resignation May 8 2018.
She was elected to Lewisham London Borough Council as a councillor for the Evelyn ward in 2004, and served as Deputy Mayor of Lewisham and Cabinet Member for regeneration from 2006. She was selected as the Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Lewisham East in October 2009 and was elected to Parliament in 2010.
Alexander was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Health on September 13 2015, the day after Jeremy Corbyn was elected as Labour Leader.
In June 2016, Alexander became the first of many Shadow Cabinet ministers to resign and call for a new party leader following the EU referendum result.
"I loved being the shadow health secretary. But I hated being part of the shadow cabinet because it was entirely dysfunctional." she wrote in the Guardian in 2016, and called the Labour party "so inept, so unprofessional, so shoddy. There was no effort to build a team".
She also served as Sadiq Khan’s campaign chair for the London mayoral election in 2016.
Why has she quit?
On May 8 2018, Alexander announced she had resigned her seat as an MP to become Sadiq Khan’s deputy mayor for transport for London.
Her appointment to Khan's team follows the retirement of Val Shawcross, the outgoing deputy mayor for transport, who has worked for the Greater London Authority for 20 years.
Following the announcement, Alexander said: "I am really excited to be joining Sadiq and the team at City Hall. Val is going to be a hard act to follow but I can't wait to get started.
“After eight years as the Member of Parliament for Lewisham East and six years as a local councillor, I know just how important it is we ensure everyone has access to a high-quality and affordable public transport network, with safe cycling routes across the capital. London is a fantastic city.
"I know Sadiq wants its transport system to be the envy of the world and I am looking forward to playing my part in making that happen."
Mayor Khan said: “I’m delighted that Heidi Alexander has agreed to become our new Deputy Mayor for Transport. Heidi knows this city inside-out, and her work both as Shadow Health Secretary and campaigning over the best Brexit deal has demonstrated the terrific job she will do as part of my team standing up for London.
“Heidi is respected across the political divide as a parliamentarian and campaigner, and Londoners can be confident she will ensure we deliver our ambitious plans to transform London’s transport network over the coming years.”
What happens to her Lewisham East seat?
A by-election will now be triggered in her safe South London seat, Lewisham East, when she joins the Mayor's team in charge of transport,
It's not possible for her to stay in her job as an MP and also serve as deputy mayor, City Hall said, sparking a potentially bitter battle among Labour factions for who will be chosen to replace her.
What are her responsibilities as deputy mayor for transport?
In 2018, Mayor Khan which will prioritise human health and experience in planning the city as the Mayor wants to change London’s transport mix so the city works better for everyone.
The three key themes at the heart of the strategy include creating streets and street networks that encourage walking, cycling and public transport reducing car dependency and the health problems it creates, as well as shifting from private car to public transport, dramatically reducing the number of vehicles on London’s streets, and planning the city around walking, cycling and public transport to unlock growth in new areas and ensure that London grows to benefit everyone.
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