Recent coverage in the Express & Star has wrongly portrayed my attendance at the Unite the Kingdom march as evidence of me being somehow “far right” or “racist.”

These claims are false, damaging, and need to be addressed directly.

My resignation from the Conservative Party had nothing to do with the march itself. The truth is this: I had already lodged a formal grievance against a fellow councillor for bullying.

That grievance was being ignored. By contrast, when a resident complained about my attendance at the march and it landed on the leader’s desk, it was escalated immediately and within 24 hours, leaked details of which appeared across the press.

I was then told suspension was being prepared. Faced with an orchestrated attempt to silence me and discredit my complaint, I voluntarily took the decision to resign the party whip.

The Unite the Kingdom march was a peaceful event, attended by thousands from every walk of life, including many veterans.

I was there with my family including my two-year-old child to stand up for free speech, unity, and British values.

The march was not about hate or division. Other politicians attended and have not faced the same backlash. Ben Habib shouted insults at the leader of the Labour Party, but he was not vilified. Why was I singled out?

The answer lies in double standards and political convenience, not least of all because a councillor with a record of inappropriate comments has been defended by the leadership.

I, with no such history, a working mother, business owner, and committed councillor was instead hung out to dry. I was targeted not for what I did, but because I dared to speak up. The Express & Star compounded this by framing me with irrelevant and sensational references to Nigel Farage, Reform UK, Germany’s AfD, and “Nazi guilt.”

I left Reform in 2021 and have no intention of returning, even though I am facing further smears that I have orchestrated this to simply slide back to Reform. This is not the case. These references were baseless, insulting, and designed only to smear.

Lost in all of this is the reality of who I am: a councillor who works hard for Rushall-Shelfield, and a local employer running a business that provides jobs for more than 150 people, many of whom came here through legal overseas routes to support our healthcare system.

I am not against immigration, I know how vital it is. None of this mattered in the narrative that was spun against me.

The result has been devastating. I have faced abuse in the street and online. My husband, a veteran serving two tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, has been dragged into the headlines. Our five children have been placed under unnecessary strain. That is the human cost of political games by people who should know better and selective press reporting.

I remain determined to serve the residents of Rushall–Shelfield with integrity and fairness. I have no interest in climbing party ladders or chasing allowances. My only focus is my community. This was never about a peaceful family march. It was about silencing me. It was about weaponising leaks and spinning a false narrative for political gain. That is the disgrace of this whole situation.