BECOMING a role model for young women in politics was not on Victoria Holl- oway’s mind when she stood for the council. But two years on, she has risen to join Thurrock Council’s cabinet.

Leafleting with her dad from a young age sparked an interest in politics for Victoria, 27, who represents West Thurrock and South Stifford, and she always grew up with a broad outlook on the world.

She says: “My dad was political. He’s a train driver and a trade unionist. He has always been involved in the local Labour party. My dad and mum both tried to give me an idea of what was going on. The news would always be on and they would always have a broadsheet paper around. It did prompt an interest.

“I’m much older now, a little bit wiser, I look at the politics of all the parties and Labour is the one I’m mostly aligned to.”

When she was first asked to stand as a local Labour candidate, Victoria said she did hesitate as it meant putting herself in the public eye. However, she sticks by a set of principles which she says hasn’t seen her go too far wrong, so far.

“I’ve lived in Thurrock all my life and I’ve helped out with the local Labour party, but I hadn’t really thought about standing for election. The idea of it put me off.

“You can’t please everybody. You have to really understand that when you go into it. Some people will be upset with you and you can’t take that to heart.

“If I can explain why I’ve done what I’ve done to people who aren’t happy with the decisions I’ve made, they may still be angry about it, but they might understand the reasoning and respect that.”

Victoria, who became a councillor at 25, says: “Now there are a few young people on the council, you can see the benefit.”

With the advent of programmes like the Only Way Is Essex, the stereotype of the Essex girl is still alive and well, but Victoria says she just laughs it off. She said: “The Essex girl stereotype hasn’t gone anywhere. There are times when I just play up to it. I was born and raised in Essex.

“You can either be really offended or you can just make a joke of it and go against the stereotype.

“I like the fact Essex is well-known. I think maybe some young women may be afraid of getting involved in politics as they feel they may be attacked, but if anything it’s something to be really proud of.”

The recent death of Margaret Thatcher brought the issue of women in politics to the fore although Victoria disagrees with her policies.

She said: “She couldn’t be more polar opposite to what I believe. That said, she was someone’s mother and I think people should be respectful.

“As far as the example she set for women, I would have expected more women probably to be involved in politics following her example than there are.

“She was a role model for some women, but not me.”