My name is Dr Rosena Allin-Khan. I was born and raised in Tooting and I have been proud to represent our community as Labour MP for Balham, Earlsfield, Furzedown, Tooting and Wandsworth Common since 2016.
I grew up locally in Tooting, attending Trinity St Mary's School in Balham, and I’m very happily raising my family here. Before getting into politics, I worked full-time as a Junior Doctor at St George's Hospital and I still do shifts there in the A&E department.
My medical career also took me overseas as a humanitarian doctor, where I have supported efforts in some of the biggest humanitarian crises in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
Most notably, I have worked in the Rohingya refugee camps on the border of Myanmar to support refugees fleeing an unfolding genocide and in Palestine to highlight the need for better access to medical treatment for Palestinians. More recently, at the beginning of the war in Ukraine in early 2022, I travelled to Lviv to provide humanitarian supplies and support to civilians who were injured during Russia's invasion as well as offer emergency triage training to Ukrainian medics.
Closer to home, my political journey began when I was first elected as a Wandsworth Labour Councillor for Tooting Bec and Balham in 2014, where I proudly served as the Deputy Leader of the Labour Group. That first election over ten years ago now really put the fire in my stomach for campaigning and advocating for local people.
Following Sadiq Khan stepping down to run for Mayor of London, I was asked by many in the community to stand to be the next Member of Parliament for Tooting. I ran and won in the by-election held in June 2016, which tragically coincided with the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox to whom I paid tribute on election night in my acceptance speech.
I grew up locally in Tooting, attending Trinity St Mary's School in Balham, and I’m very happily raising my family here. Before getting into politics, I worked full-time as a Junior Doctor at St George's Hospital and I still do shifts there in the A&E department.
My medical career also took me overseas as a humanitarian doctor, where I have supported efforts in some of the biggest humanitarian crises in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
Most notably, I have worked in the Rohingya refugee camps on the border of Myanmar to support refugees fleeing an unfolding genocide and in Palestine to highlight the need for better access to medical treatment for Palestinians. More recently, at the beginning of the war in Ukraine in early 2022, I travelled to Lviv to provide humanitarian supplies and support to civilians who were injured during Russia's invasion as well as offer emergency triage training to Ukrainian medics.
Closer to home, my political journey began when I was first elected as a Wandsworth Labour Councillor for Tooting Bec and Balham in 2014, where I proudly served as the Deputy Leader of the Labour Group. That first election over ten years ago now really put the fire in my stomach for campaigning and advocating for local people.
Following Sadiq Khan stepping down to run for Mayor of London, I was asked by many in the community to stand to be the next Member of Parliament for Tooting. I ran and won in the by-election held in June 2016, which tragically coincided with the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox to whom I paid tribute on election night in my acceptance speech.
During my time as the local MP, I have campaigned to tackle knife crime in our community, protect local community assets such as the Tooting Bec Athletics Club and Fishponds Playing Fields, and for action to be taken to tackle the climate crisis. I am incredibly proud to have founded the Safe Space scheme locally, in which local businesses sign up to be a place of sanctuary for those feeling unsafe day or night. Look out for the green sticker on the windows of local shops, restaurants, and pubs!
Additionally, I have helped secure step-free access at Wandsworth Common railway station, and I'm currently running a campaign for a lift to be installed at Tooting Broadway tube in order to allow hospital patients, wheelchair users, parents with buggies, and many others access to the Underground network.
I've also overseen the opening of many new parks and green spaces in the local area, including the Mellison Road pocket park in Tooting, the Swaffield Road pocket park in Earlsfield, and Springfield Park on the redeveloped hospital site. The latter park was the largest new green space open in London in the last decade and I was proud to open it alongside the Mayor of London and Leader of Wandsworth Council.
Nationally, I served as Labour's Shadow Cabinet Minister for Mental Health until 2023, calling out Government failures and developing policies. I put together a bold vision for transforming mental health services, including pledges to recruit 8,500 additional mental health staff, place a mental health specialist in every school and an open access hub in every community for young people.
More broadly, I've been vocal on many issues near and dear to our local community here in Tooting. Having worked in the West Bank and Palestinian hospitals in Lebanon, the cause of Palestinian statehood is incredibly close to my heart. I have continuously advocated for the Palestinian people throughout my tenure as an MP, particularly over the last two years as Gaza has been torn apart.
Other key priorities in Parliament include improving conditions and security in Wandsworth Prison, delivering affordable housing across the local area, safeguarding and strengthening NHS services in our community, and ensuring our streets are safe, clean, and accessible to all.
It is the honour of my life to serve the community where I grew up and where I am raising my family. Thank you for all of your support over the years, and please do not hesitate to get in touch if there is ever anything I can help with.
Additionally, I have helped secure step-free access at Wandsworth Common railway station, and I'm currently running a campaign for a lift to be installed at Tooting Broadway tube in order to allow hospital patients, wheelchair users, parents with buggies, and many others access to the Underground network.
I've also overseen the opening of many new parks and green spaces in the local area, including the Mellison Road pocket park in Tooting, the Swaffield Road pocket park in Earlsfield, and Springfield Park on the redeveloped hospital site. The latter park was the largest new green space open in London in the last decade and I was proud to open it alongside the Mayor of London and Leader of Wandsworth Council.
Nationally, I served as Labour's Shadow Cabinet Minister for Mental Health until 2023, calling out Government failures and developing policies. I put together a bold vision for transforming mental health services, including pledges to recruit 8,500 additional mental health staff, place a mental health specialist in every school and an open access hub in every community for young people.
More broadly, I've been vocal on many issues near and dear to our local community here in Tooting. Having worked in the West Bank and Palestinian hospitals in Lebanon, the cause of Palestinian statehood is incredibly close to my heart. I have continuously advocated for the Palestinian people throughout my tenure as an MP, particularly over the last two years as Gaza has been torn apart.
Other key priorities in Parliament include improving conditions and security in Wandsworth Prison, delivering affordable housing across the local area, safeguarding and strengthening NHS services in our community, and ensuring our streets are safe, clean, and accessible to all.
It is the honour of my life to serve the community where I grew up and where I am raising my family. Thank you for all of your support over the years, and please do not hesitate to get in touch if there is ever anything I can help with.
Written Parliamentary Questions
Politicians have the right to put written questions to Government Ministers about issues arising in their portfolio. See what questions I have written to Ministers here