William's Story
William was born in the Benin Republic and grew up in France. In 1997, he came to London to start a career in business and has lived here ever since.
His politics has been shaped by his life experiences as a businessman, immigrant, and activist.
For many years William felt like London was the best place in the world to raise a family, run a business, and enjoy vibrant and diverse cultural and community life. Indeed, it was living in Southwark where William first saw directly how important it is to have a strong local Liberal Democrat MP. Simon Hughes, who represented the area for over thirty years, inspired William to enter politics and fight for the values that had brought him to the U.K. in the first place - liberty, equality and opportunity.
His politics has been shaped by his life experiences; businessman, immigrant, activist.
William joined the Liberal Democrats to fight the 2010 General Election and has been working hard for the party ever since. He served as a local councillor between 2018 and 2022, challenging a Labour-run Council to stop failing its local residents. He fought for the most vulnerable in his community, making sure the council couldn't get away with turning a blind eye to their problems. He worked with the Home Office to bring back constituents who were stranded abroad.
In 2021, he was elected Vice Chair of the London Liberal Democrats. In his time in office he focused on engaging London's diverse communities in politics, refusing to accept the Labour or Conservative approach that simply ignores them outside of election time. He showed party members how hard he would work to raise the party's profile and champion ordinary Londoners, and has been a key figure in the regional party ever since.
He fought for the most vulnerable in his community
William often says that the country that welcomed him in 1997 was very different to the one we’re living in now. He knows first hand how valuable the freedoms and opportunities to live and work in London are. They are why he stayed and started a family, and why he campaigned so passionately against Brexit. He has been heartbroken to see those same opportunities and freedoms so cruelly ripped away from others.
He works hard to stand up for diverse and neglected communities, and in his day-job supports local residents with their housing and general welfare issues.
With his life experience, vision, and determination to restore trust, William is the right candidate at the right time for Kensington & Bayswater.
