Croydon North: Shasha Khan election Q & A

Q. What are your views on the MPs' expenses issue?

A. To think some constituents visited MPs worried about how they were going to provide food for their families, or about losing their home, when all the time their MP was abusing the public purse. A Yougov poll showed that Greens are least likely to put self interest before the interest of the country.

Q. If you had to pick the single biggest issue you will campaign on as MP for the borough, what would that be?

A. Reducing inequality between the rich and poor. Apart from the USA and Portugal, the UK has the biggest gap between richest and poorest in the western world. Studies show that countries with this income inequality have higher levels of health and social problems, including mental illness, violence, drug addiction and teenage pregnancies.

Q. What is your biggest regret?

A. When I was nine, I supported Man United for a season.

Q. What was your biggest achievement at school/university?

A. Being captain of the Purley Boys chess team at school.

Q. Do you believe in euthanasia?

A. Yes, but very strict regulation must be put in place to ensure that the system is not open to abuse, and in the context of the highest level of care being available.

Q. Have you ever smoked cannabis?

A. The question should be: ‘Is the law on cannabis working? The answer is an emphatic, NO! Half of all 16-29 year-olds have tried cannabis. Over 2 million smoke cannabis. The Green Party believes that leaving a £4billion trade in the hands of criminal gangs means if you’re a parent, your growing teenage son or daughter is very likely to purchase tainted (contains crushed glass) or harmful super strength cannabis. Through a process of decriminalisation, you can properly control the supply and ensure those that smoke cannabis can do so safely; leaving the police to pursue the international traffickers. Former Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, said recently that privately many Chief Constables believe this is the common sense solution. The Chief Constable of North Wales has even publically said that cannabis should be legalised.

Q. How did you get involved in politics?

A. I was a Form Rep. in the student council at Woodcote High School. At university I studied Politics and Economics. However, about 7 years ago, I realised that unless principled politicians are elected, this country will end up going to war to secure ever-decreasing oil and gas supplies over and over again.

Q. How long have you lived in the borough?

A. 27 years

Q. Have you ever belonged to another political party?

A. No.

Q. What do you recycle?

A. Everything I can.

Q. If you have one item on a desert island, what would it be any why?

A. A solar powered satellite phone.

Q. Where would you least like to live in the borough and where would you most like to live in the borough?

A. Of course there isn't anywhere I wouldn't want to live in the borough and I love where I live and can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be.

Q. What is the borough's best attribute?

A. The diversity of the people living here.

Q. Do you agree with abortion or are you pro-life?

A. I am pro-choice.

Q. What's your favourite biscuit?

A. Choco Leibniz – “its more chocolate than a biscuit”

Q. What happened when you first got drunk and did you learn your lesson?

A. Who remembers what happened when they got drunk the first time? If you remember, you weren’t drunk. What concerns me is how easy it is to obtain alcohol and how cheaply supermarkets can sell it.

Q. What annoys you?

A. Labour, Tory and Lib Dem politicians are all saying there is going to be no incinerator, when all across the country their councils are building them. They just want to get to the other side of the election and then describe it as an ‘energy from waste’ plant and push it through.

Q. Do you do the washing up or do you get others to do it?

A. I do the washing up – it's a trade off with my wife who does most of the cooking as I'm a terrible cook!

Q. Apart from a house what is the most expensive item you have bought for yourself?

A. My first car – a Hillman Imp

Q. Facebook or Twitter?

A. Facebook