• I WAS very sad to hear about the passing of Myra “Bubbles” Polya.

She was an important member of the community here in Camden and a passionate and active member of our local Labour Party for many decades.

Bubbles was a huge source of support to me personally throughout my career and was instrumental in helping us win the most marginal seat in the country in the 2015 general election.

I know from my conversations with my predecessor, the late Glenda Jackson, that Bubbles was also a huge part of her election campaigns and was a constant figure in campaigning in Hampstead, delivering leaflets, speaking to residents and hosting stalls on the high street.

Born and raised in Whetstone, to East End parents, she was the sixth child of her mother and the fourth of her father. In her late teens she spent time with her artist sister in Sweden before joining the airline TWA which enabled her to travel.

After marrying in 1964 she lived for a time in Morocco and taught ceramics at an adult education institute in London. Her dedication and hard work have helped so many in our community over the years, not least during her time as a Camden councillor.

As a member of the Inner London Education Authority and a governor of Hampstead School for many years, her understanding of and passion for education was inspiring, as was her commitment to improving children’s life chances.

We will always remember Bubbles for her strong sense of social justice, her passion for a more equal society, and her belief in the power of education.

Our thoughts are with Bubbles’s husband Andre, her children Lucie and Benjamin and her four grandchildren at this difficult time.

TULIP SIDDIQ MP
Labour, Hampstead & Kilburn