A former councillor fighting to become East Worthing and Shoreham’s first Labour MP has opened up about the personal reasons that inspired him to enter the world of politics . Tom Rutland says he grew up hearing about the hardships his parents faced, including his father being unable to afford a school uniform and his mother being discriminated against in the workplace when she was pregnant with him. But it was the experience he had realising he was gay that spurred him on to want to help others.
“I'd say that I first really switched on to politics when I was growing up and realised that I was gay and felt I wouldn't achieve everything I could or I should because of who I was,” he said. “It was the worst feeling in the world. “I've never forgotten that.
“I think life is actually very different now but I've never really forgotten how that felt. “That feeling is really why I care about politics. I don't want any child to have to feel that way.
“Whether it's because of the colour of their skin, whether they're a boy or a girl, have a disability, how much their parents earn or who they love.” He was further motivated following the pandemic and the loss of his grandfather. Tom Rutland at his campaign launch in May (Image: Tom Rutland) “I was really angry about failures in the pandemic,” he said.
“My grandad died. “I hadn't seen him for a year in an attempt to keep him and my grandma safe. “I trained to be a volunteer vaccinator and do all that I could t.