Parliamentary Selections:
Curriculum Vitae
Name: Dr Laura Bruni
 
Address & telephone no: 34 Baker’s Avenue, E17 9AW; 07790 363 167
Gender: female       Ethnic origin: White UK   Details of disability: None
 
I have the experience, knowledge, passion and commitment to be an effective and responsive successor to Neil Gerrard as MP for Walthamstow.
Labour Party experience
·         Labour Party Parliamentary Candidate for Colchester General Election 2005, fighting Liberal Democrat MP Bob Russell, a challenging and rewarding experience
  • CLP Secretary in Walthamstow since 2002, working closely with Neil Gerrard and CLP officers; Chair of South Walthamstow branch
  • Candidate for National Policy Forum and London Region Board
  • Committee Room organiser in local elections in target wards (Leytonstone 2002 and Leyton in 2006) co-ordinating getting out the Labour vote to win both seats

 ·         Member since 1987. Active campaigner in and between elections

Other life experience
  • Responsible for parliamentary and policy matters for a health and community involvement commission. Work with public on campaigning and lobbying for policy change, eg securing a Health Select Committee Inquiry and amendments to legislation
  • Political secretary to John Cryer, Labour MP for Hornchurch 1997-2005;
  • Constituency assistant and caseworker to the late Bernie Grant MP (Tottenham)
  • Extensive contact with the public; dealt with thousands of constituents’ problems
·         PhD in history; previously worked in the voluntary sector for a human rights magazine, writing and commissioning articles.
  • Member Unite - T&G and GMB Unions
Knowledge
  • Wide knowledge of UK politics and Labour Party policy, from contact with voters, trade unions, the Parliamentary Labour Party, pressure groups and community organisations
  • Thorough knowledge of parliament and government policy making – 12 years in field
  • In depth knowledge of health service reforms and consequences, eg ‘patients choice’ and privatisation agenda, and policy themes around citizens and community engagement.
  • As a trade union activist, campaigned on employment rights and workplace agenda, eg contract cleaners, London Living Wage, Trade Union freedom and agency workers
  • Knowledge of international and human rights issues; a member of Amnesty International I actively support many campaigns, particularly combating violence against women and supporting workers’ right to freedom of association.
 

Communication Skills One of the things I excelled at as a Parliamentary candidate was face-to-face contact with voters. Appearances on radio and television, including BBC News and Radio 4 Today programme, twice interviewed live on BBC News 24. In Colchester I appeared on local media and in local papers. I have good public speaking skills, to audiences of up to 400 people and as a Parliamentary candidate spoke at meetings with pensioners, students, academics, trade union activists and faith groups. My current job involves public speaking through presenting workshops on the legislative process and influencing policy. As political secretary to John Cryer MP, I wrote press releases, newspaper articles and was oversaw all correspondence, including email, with constituents, government ministers etc. I also wrote newsletters and campaigning material and updated website.

Campaigning & party development skills:

In Colchester I led an energetic election campaign, contacting thousands of voters, and spoke at numerous public meetings, visited schools and community groups and campaigned on issues such as transport, health, low pay, pensions and policing.
 
Working for John Cryer MP, I organised campaigns to save elderly peoples homes and a local primary school from closure and for more acute beds at Oldchurch hospital. Secured the banning of several offensive weapons from sale. For Bernie Grant MP I ran his campaign to regulate immigration advisers which resulted in legislation in 1998. Locally, involved in the ‘I Love Whipps Cross’ campaign, and campaigns on London Living Wage and equal treatment of agency workers.
 
I play an active role in Walthamstow Labour Party member development and political education, having organised meetings on child poverty, housing, the European Union, the Middle East, foreign policy and Labour History. Another priority is to build links with affiliated unions, and I played a lead role in securing £1000 a year for Walthamstow CLP from the TGWU. I work with CLP officers and Neil Gerrard on local events for trade union members. I was a member of the Local Government Committee Diversity Working Group, which developed the strategy to secure more women and BAME council candidates in winnable seats.
Representational & problem solving skills
  • Dealt with more than 1,000 constituency cases each year across the whole range of issues raised with MPs, eg housing, benefits and tax credits, Child Support Agency, anti-social behaviour, industrial injuries and deaths at work and serious crime such as murder
  • Extensive experience of immigration casework – including asylum and removal cases
  • Experience of nation-wide campaigns, eg women’s pension entitlements, benefit entitlement of term-time workers, putting sustained pressure on ministers
  • Current job involves representing Patients Forums to MPs and Peers
 
Interpersonal, teamwork & liaison skills
As PPC in Colchester worked closely with Labour Group, CLP members, Colchester Trades Council and the Regional Party as the leader and public face of the general election team. As CLP Secretary – brought resources into local party through TGWU constituency development plan, working with Neil Gerrard, CLP officers and Region 1 of the TGWU; I have worked through the CLP to make the voice of members heard, through motions to Annual Conference and submissions to the National Policy Forum and liaison with the London Labour Party.
I developed excellent listening and advisory skills working for MPs John Cryer and Bernie Grant, liaising on their behalf with ministers, government agencies, unions, local councils, the police and community groups and individual members of the public.
 
Other skills
Excellent organisation skills, used for example as convenor of an All-Party Parliamentary Group and an organiser of public meetings. Long experience in demanding roles dealing with complex issues and working in a politically sensitive environment, prioritising, managing my time and working within a budget.
 
Contact Laura at