By Staff Reporter

A MEMBER of Parliament for the Morgan Tsvangirai led MDC, Thabitha Khumalo has jetted into London Heathrow International Airport for the Labour Party conference in Liverpool.

In an interview with The Zim Diaspora soon after landing today (Sunday) Khumalo who is also Bulawayo East Member of parliament said she was in Britain mainly for the Labour Conference. Khumalo arrived at Heathrow to a rousing welcome from cheering MDC-UK officials.

The Labour Party currently an opposition in Britain and led by Ed Miliband after 13 years in power is having a conference in which they are expected to debate various social policies in the face of the global financial crisis.

MDC officials meeting MP Thabitha Khumalo at London Heathrow International Airport

Those present at the airport to greet the MP included Oxford Chairman Chrspen Chamburuka and his vice Mcini Dhlodhlo, South End-On-Sea Chairman Stanford Biti, Jenatry Murangwana,  Luton branch chairperson Suzeet Kwenda, district secretary Mrs Mashiri, Croydon Chairman, Brain Manjengwa.

Khumalo said: “As you know the MDC is a Labour-backed party, we saw it necessary to attend their conference with the hope that we might learn something from them”.

“I also intend to take this opportunity to visit some of our branches in the UK to see how we are doing here, but I must emphasise that my single most important objective of my journey is the Labour party Conference,” she said.

Asked about the status of the MDC-UK and Ireland province, Khumalo said: “As far as I know the MDC-UK and Ireland remains a province. Nothing less than that has been communicated to me”.

She added that she was not at privilege to discuss allegations of financial mismanagement, saying “its not my department, if you want to discuss that I will happily refer you to the Treasurer General and others responsible for the party’s financial affairs”.

Khumalo is expected to attend to public MDC meeting on Saturday in Oxford. Khumalo was expected in Britain yesterday but unfortunately missed her flight due to administrative issues.

Khumalo has been the MDC-T deputy spokesperson and also sits on the SADC parliamentary forum HIV/AIDS as the vice chairperson.

She has also been vice president of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions and has won a UK Woman of the Year Award. She has successfully launched the campaign Dignity .Period! with Action for South Africa (ACTSA).