Miatta Fahnbulleh, a United Kingdom-based economist of Sierra Leonean origin, has been elected as Member of Parliament for Peckham in the 2024 United Kingdom general election. She secured victory after receiving 22,813 votes for the Labour party during the Thursday election.
Born in Liberia to a Sierra Leonean mother and Liberian father, Fahnbulleh’s family sought refuge in the UK following the outbreak of the First Liberian Civil War in 1986, where they applied for asylum. Until December 2023, she served as the Chief Executive of the New Economics Foundation, bringing extensive experience in policy development aimed at empowering communities and improving lives.
Throughout her career, Fahnbulleh has been instrumental in generating innovative ideas to reshape economic policies both within government and through various organizations. She previously held roles such as Director of Policy & Research at the Institute of Public Policy Research, and has worked at senior levels for the Leader of the Opposition, the Cabinet Office, and the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit.
Reflecting on her election victory, Fahnbulleh expressed gratitude to the Peckham community, describing it as a deeply personal opportunity to represent a constituency that holds significant meaning for her. She underscored how her early experiences in the Sierra Leonean community in Peckham shaped her values of compassion and solidarity, driving her commitment to addressing systemic inequalities.
In her victory speech, Fahnbulleh pledged to honor the trust placed in her by the people of Peckham, promising to advocate tirelessly on their behalf. She vowed to be deeply rooted in the community, serving as their strongest advocate and champion to ensure their voices are heard and their concerns addressed.
