International Women's Day Tribute

Merlene Emerson pays tribute:

Honouring a woman I know -  my friend and colleague, Cllr Linda Chung

Linda and I were born some 2000 miles apart, Linda in Hoysan, China and I in Singapore, but it was here in London that we met.  It was politics that brought us together and our first meeting was at the ‘Making Chinese Votes Count’ workshop in June 2006 sponsored by the Electoral Commission.

Linda is well known for her work within the community, she has been Chair and now Vice Chair of Camden Chinese Community centre and was a founder member of the Chinese in Britain Forum (chaired by the late Lord Michael Chan).

In November 2008, she was spectacularly elected as the Liberal Democrat Councillor for Hampstead Town ward in Camden.  Her campaign was short and sweet: ‘Love Hampstead, Vote Linda’ and the majority in Hampstead did as they could see that she championed local causes and would make the dynamic and hardworking Councillor that she is today.

To say that she manages successfully to juggle her career, political and community activities is an understatement.  With a legal background, Linda had gone into business in her early life and then worked as an employment recruitment consultant.  She now sits on the Employment Tribunal as well as on the boards of a number of business and charitable organisations.

Merlene Emerson is a Liberal Democrat candidate for London Assembly 2012.

Main picture: Cllr Linda Chung