MP Dawn Butler gets Blue Plaque honour

LONDON:

Dawn Butler, member of parliament for Brent Central, has been honoured with a Blue Plaque in the London borough of Waltham Forest where she was born and raised in recognition of her contributions to politics and community activism.

It was commissioned as part of the Waltham Forest Council’s ‘Pick our Plaques’ campaign. The council sought nominations from local residents to pick their local heroes who have a connection to Waltham Forest, and Butler was chosen as a local hero to celebrate.

The plaque was unveiled above the Farm Community Kitchen, formerly Butlers Bakery, situated on Can Hall Road where she grew up, often herself working at her father’s bakery and serving in the shop when she was younger.

This prestigious award comes shortly after she was named one of the 25 most influential women in the UK by Vogue magazine. She has also been named both Labour MP of the Year and Overall MP of the Year in 2017 and 2018 by the Patchwork Foundation.

Following the unveiling, she said: “This is one of the most treasured honours in my life. I have been committed to service from the moment I could remember,and this love of serving the community was instilled in me by my father.

“He was a great man. He always wanted the world to be a better place. He didn’t understand why racism existed, and he went through so much but was never bitter. He just wanted change.

HARD WORK

“I think of him every day and to think that there will be a blue plaque in perpetuity, which honours his hard work and makes me very proud. I am sure he will be smiling down proud of his little girl.”

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “Dawn is one of the most talented and committed people I have encountered in politics.

“We have been friends for many years,and I know her devotion to public service is one she inherited from her family. She is passionate about community and an inspiration to many Londoners, and I am so proud to see her honoured in this way.”

Butler, who also writes a monthly column in The Weekly Gleaner newspaper, was born in Forest Gate to Jamaican parents Milo and Ambrozene Butler. She entered politics in 2005 and was elected the Labour MP for Brent South in the general election.

She served in Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s government as minister for Young Citizens and Youth Engagement. She lost her seat in the 2010 general election, but successfully returned to Parliament as MP for Brent Central in the 2015 general election.

In October 2016, she was appointed to the new role of shadow minister for black and minority ethnic communities under leader Jeremy Corbyn, before being promoted to the shadow Cabinet in August 2017 as shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities in August 2017. She stood in the 2020 Labour Party deputy leadership election and came in fifth place. She left her shadow Cabinet position in April 2020 and returned to the backbenches.

This is the fourth Blue Plaque to be installed in the programme. Waltham Forest launched the campaign with an award to Grime music pioneer, MC and producer ‘Jammer’. Jammer’s Blue Plaque was later installed on the wall of the house of where he grew up. Blue Plaques were also awarded to musician Damon Albarn OBE, and choreographer Sir Matthew Bourne OBE.