‘Hackney Heroine’ Pauline Pearce has announced her campaign to be national president of the Liberal Democrats Party.
In an exclusive interview with The Hackney Post, Ms Pearce, known for an expletive-filled sermon on behaviour to violent youths during the London riots, revealed her political goals.
Ms Pearce, known as Lady P, announced her decision to run for party president at the Lib Dems’ spring conference over the weekend, where she also gave a speech on food poverty.
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Rise to fame of the Hackney Heroine
Since the rant that shot her to fame in August 2011, Ms Pearce has used her celebrity status to make waves, with a particular focus on reaching out to troubled youths in Hackney.
Ms Pearce, 48, said: “To engage young people is very difficult in this day and age; they’ve got one opinion – politics is rubbish, nobody wants to know, oh they don’t care about us. And I want to show youngsters by standing for president of the party that anything is possible in life.”
To prevent future riots, Ms Pearce says politicians must tackle the root causes of gang violence and young people’s disillusionment with the political system, an area where she believes the government has failed.
“I don’t think they look at it on a deep enough level. They stopped community centres. Now when youngsters come home they have nowhere to go. When you hang out on the streets you get involved in all sorts. You go down that slippery-slidy road, then possibly you end up in jail in the long run.
“Let’s get on it now; let’s now wait for another 10 years, for another riot to kick off. Let’s nip it in the bud, get the youngsters on board now, get them understanding a bit more about their politics.”
Ms Pearce’s political journey has been turbulent. Originally courted by all the political parties, a sting by The People regarding drug-dealing in November 2011 saw Labour and the Conservatives withdraw their support.
However, local Lib Dems stood by her, prompting her decision to join the party, as opposed to Labour – which are safe seats in Hackney. Since joining, she has become a prolific member of the party, leading fellow members to nominate her for president.
She said: “I’m totally overwhelmed. I thought there would be more knockbacks, people saying ‘oh don’t be ridiculous’. I really feel chuffed with myself and it’s not often I do that; I knock myself a lot more than people knock me.”
In the interview, Ms Pearce also revealed that since the drugs scandal she has experienced a “share of snobbery up in the council offices with the Labour lot, and looking back, I’d say sniggers.”
When she organised a community Christmas event in December 2011, Diane Abbott, MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, shunned her personal invitation.
Ms Pearce said: “For me that was really upsetting. I’m no professional by far, but I know common etiquette and courtesy. She’s even refused to turn up to a hustings because I was going to be there.”
“You can’t make a change from the outside”
Having previously run as councillor for Hackney Central in the 2012 by-election, Ms Pearce now hopes to give a voice to the many Hackney residents who feel that they are not represented.
“I just want to hear people’s opinions. I want to bring more opinions to the table; reach out to those who wouldn’t normally have that chance to speak, those voices out there that have got something valuable to say but haven’t got a platform to stand on and say it.
“These are the things that I am out there fighting for; the rights of the people. That’s P basically, that’s what she’s about. I hope people see that side of me, as opposed to just some barking mad black woman who runs around ranting and waving her stick.”
Despite some negative publicity, Ms Pearce stated she does not regret the events that have led her to her current position. She is involved in several projects, including the youth scheme Social Butterflies, and she regularly hosts informal surgeries at the Tin Café on Middleton Road.
She concluded: “I want to make a change and you can’t make a change by sitting on the outside. I don’t want to be a reserve on the bench; I want to be a player in the game.”
Unfortunately snobbery is a common feature of both many Tory and Labour Politicians. It comes from thinking that they are always on the right side of history even if both Parties have been proved many times wrong.
Welcome Pauline!
Fernanda
I think Pauline has a lot to offer the world of politics – she’s a breath of fresh air, not afraid to say what she thinks, and has her feet on the ground. She’s also soundly liberal.
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