Semakaleng Mokgadi Moema, born on November 4, 1984, in Islington, London, is a British Labour Party politician and the London Assembly Member for the North East constituency since May 2021. Her South African parents fled Apartheid in the 1970s, seeking a fairer society in Britain.
Moema's education includes a Bachelor of Arts from Keele University and a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management from Birkbeck, University of London. Moema's political career began when she was first elected as a councillor for the Hackney Downs ward on the Hackney Council in 2006.
After not standing for re-election in 2010, she returned to the council in a 2016 by-election and was re-elected in 2018 and 2022. In her role on the Hackney Council, Moema has been a mayoral advisor for the private rented sector and housing affordability, where she introduced a licensing scheme for privately rented housing in Hackney to improve conditions for tenants.
Her election to the London Assembly in 2021 brought her into a position where she could further her work on housing, serving on the Assembly's Housing, Police and Crime, and Confirmation Hearings Committees. As of 2023-24, Moema serves as the Chair of the London Labour Housing Group and Deputy Chair of the Housing Committee, with additional memberships in the Confirmation Hearings Committee, Transport Committee, and Police and Crime Committee.
Moema's tenure has been marked by her dedication to improving living conditions for Londoners, particularly in the private rented sector. She has campaigned for rent controls, supported tenants and leaseholders affected by fire safety and cladding issues, and worked towards providing London Living Rent homes for local people at affordable rates.
Before her Assembly role, Moema worked as an account director at a leading public affairs and political communications agency, focusing on trade union campaigns, equalities in the workplace, and local government reorganisation. Her professional background also includes experience in the housing sector with a G15 housing association, as well as roles in the youth and voluntary sectors, international development, and housing campaigns.
As an Assembly Member, Moema is committed to undoing the damage she perceives has been caused by Tory policies, advocating for a more tolerant, diverse, and vibrant London. She aims to defend the city's diversity and work towards a society that reflects Labour's values of being truly for the many, not the few.
The Labour Party is a prominent political force in the United Kingdom, characterized by its alignment with social democracy and democratic socialism. Situated on the centre-left of the political spectrum, Labour has played a significant role in British politics since its founding in 1900.
Emerging from the trade union movement and socialist parties of the 19th century, it initially served to represent the interests of the working class.
As of the last general election in 2019, Labour holds the position of the Official Opposition in the UK Parliament, having secured the second-largest number of seats. It is the largest party in the Welsh Parliament and the third-largest in the Scottish Parliament.
Internationally, Labour is affiliated with the Party of European Socialists and the Progressive Alliance and holds observer status in the Socialist International.
The Labour Party, under the leadership of Sir Keir Starmer, is focused on restoring economic stability to the UK. They advocate for strict fiscal policies to prevent unnecessary expenditures, promoting transparency and efficiency through new oversight bodies like the Covid Corruption Commissioner and an Office for Value for Money.
Their economic plan is designed to contrast with the perceived instability under the Conservative Party, emphasizing responsible financial management and targeted investments for growth.
Labour criticizes the current government for reducing the UK’s defense capabilities and outlines a plan to revitalize the nation's military resources. The party proposes a comprehensive Strategic Defence and Security Review, supporting the armed forces more robustly, and establishing an Armed Forces Commissioner to ensure the security of the nation and uphold the interests of military personnel.
The party plans a significant overhaul of the UK's immigration and border security systems, aiming to create a more efficient and secure framework. Labour’s strategy includes enhancing the enforcement of border laws, dismantling human trafficking networks, and improving the asylum system to ensure it is both cost-effective and secure.
Labour intends to undertake substantial reforms within the National Health Service (NHS) to address inefficiencies and the backlog caused by Conservative policies. The plan includes investments in healthcare infrastructure such as more MRI and CT scanners, and increasing the number of healthcare professionals to provide better service and care.
Tackling crime and enhancing community safety are central to Labour’s agenda, with plans to increase the police presence and introduce new community policing measures. The party emphasizes preventive strategies, especially focusing on youth crime and the root causes of antisocial behavior, to foster safer communities.
Labour commits to transformative educational reforms to ensure equitable opportunities for all. These reforms include recruiting more teachers, overhauling the curriculum, and investing in school infrastructure to equip students for modern challenges and ensure access to high-quality education and lifelong learning opportunities across the country.
In response to environmental concerns and the energy crisis, Labour advocates for establishing a new publicly-owned clean energy company and expanding renewable energy resources. This initiative aims to reduce dependency on foreign energy, combat climate change, and stimulate economic growth through the creation of sustainable jobs.
The Labour Party, led by Keir Starmer, with deputy leader Angela Rayner, and General Secretary David Evans, positions itself as a centre-left party, embodying social democratic and democratic socialist ideologies. Founded in 1900, Labour has grown from its trade union roots to become a major political force in the UK, advocating for social justice, economic reform, and public service enhancement.
The party maintains active branches across the UK, including Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and engages with various international socialist and social democratic groups, reflecting its commitment to broad-based, progressive policies.
Labour advocates for a blend of social democracy and democratic socialism, aiming to balance market economics with social welfare policies. It promotes government intervention in the economy, fair distribution of wealth, and comprehensive public services, including healthcare and education.
The party maintains close ties with the Co-operative Party, with many Labour MPs sitting in Parliament as Labour Co-operative representatives. While it supports the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) in Northern Ireland, Labour continues to organize and maintain a presence there, adapting its strategies to address both local and national issues effectively.
Overall, the Labour Party remains a key player in shaping the political, social, and economic landscape of the United Kingdom, committed to advancing the principles of fairness, equality, and social justice.