Kathleen Fleur Anderson is a British Labour Party politician and development advocate who has been the Member of Parliament for Putney since 2019. She has been a Councillor for Bedford Ward, Wandsworth Borough since 2014.
Anderson began her career in development and environmental and poverty campaigns, both in London and abroad. She worked for Christian Aid from 1994 to 1997, taking on roles as a campaign assistant in London, working in Serbia during the war and as Head of Country Office in Bosnia in the aftermath of the Bosnian War. From 1997-1999 she was Head of World Action for the Methodist youth organisation MAYC, leading campaigns on bullying, Burma and International Debt cancellation. She then worked for CAFOD in London as Head of Campaigns and Advocacy Strategy Manager. Here she co-founded the Trade Justice Campaign. From 2003-2006 she was a trustee of the Jubilee Debt Campaign. During her time as a freelance consultant in Kenya from 2007 to 2010, she worked on several successful campaigns on water and urban nutrition, working with organisations such as End Water Poverty and Oxfam, as well as helping to establish grassroots organisations such as the Shalom Centre for Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation. Upon returning to London, Anderson joined WaterAid as Head of Global Campaigns.
Politics
Anderson decided to get involved in politics in response to the closing of children's centres and local institutions. She was elected to represent Bedford on the Wandsworth London Borough Council in 2014 and re-elected in 2018. She was the Labour Spokesperson for Community Services and the Environment from 2015 to 2018 and the Deputy Leader of Wandsworth Labour Group from 2016 to 2018. She co-founded Wandsworth Welcomes Refugees and was the Head of Community Services for the Katherine Low Settlement, a community centre in Battersea from 2016 to 2020. Locally, she campaigned for the 20 mph speed limit, against the closure of children's' centres, and against cutting the Autism Advisory Service. Anderson was elected MP for Putney on 12 December 2019. On a night in which Labour suffered its worst electoral defeat since 1935, Putney was the only Labour gain. Anderson made her maiden speech on 9 January 2020. She backed Keir Starmer and Rosena Allin-Khan in the 2020 Labour leadership and deputy leadership elections.
Views
Like her constituency, Anderson was pro-remain and supported a second Brexit referendum, which she said was "the route to bringing the country back together." Her priorities as an MP include climate action, helping refugees, saving the NHS and solving the housing crisis.
