Abena Oppong-Asare is the Labour MP for Erith and Thamesmead. She was elected in the 2019 General Election with a majority of 3,758 over the Conservative Party.
She currently serves as the shadow minister for women’s health and mental health, having been appointed to the role as part of Keir Starmer’s September 2023 reshuffle.
The constituency of Erith and Thamesmead is found in South East London, spreading eastwards from Woolwich along the southern banks of the Thames. The Crossrail line is due to end at Abbey Wood in this constituency. An ethnically diverse constituency, a third of the local electorate are black or mixed race. This seat is more industrial than many in London. Normally, a relatively safe Labour seat, the constituency contains Belmarsh prison.
From October 2020 to September 2023, Oppong-Asare served as the Shadow Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury.
Born in 1983, Oppong-Asare was educated at Kent University and worked as a parliamentary researcher before becoming an MP. She was formerly also the equalities lead at London City Hall. She is Chair of Labour Women’s Network.
From 2014 to 2018, she was a Labour Party Councillor for Erith ward on Bexley Council.
She is the co-author of ‘Stand Up and Be Counted: Be a Councillor’, a publication encouraging and providing practical advice for women from diverse backgrounds to stand for election to local councils.
Oppong-Asare is a member of the All Party Parliamentary Groups on Crossrail, Dance, Hockey, and Women in Parliament. She is the first woman of Ghanian descent to sit in the British parliament.
Email – abena.oppongasare.mp@parliament.uk
https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/
Twitter- @abenaopp
