A Redbridge councillor left disabled by a shooting in Colombia wants to have more disabled people join her in the council chamber.

Rosa Gomez, 65, was elected as a Labour councillor in 2018, eight years after losing the use of her hands and most of her sight in the attack. 

Despite the challenges this creates, such as having to memorise her speeches, Cllr Gomez said she “never lost confidence” in her abilities.

With the help of two assistants, Cllr Gomez is still able to support residents who contact her, read council reports and participate in committee meetings.

She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “I would really encourage people with disabilities to take part in politics. I would like to see people with wheelchairs and different disabilities in the council and making decisions.

“We all have skills and properties, we are best on the inside not on the outside and we can be truly representative in our communities.

“It’s difficult with canvassing and getting up steps, but we can make it accessible and get more people involved… this is what makes our politics truly enriched.”

Cllr Gomez said she finds representing Churchfields ward in north west Redbridge “extremely rewarding” and often works 30 hours a week dealing with residents’ problems.

She said: “My main priority is to see that people have got public services adequate to their needs and make sure their views are represented in the council. That’s primary to me, secondary would be the party.”

As a backbencher, Cllr Gomez said she has to “toe the line” between speaking her mind and defending decisions made by the Labour leadership.

She added: “Sometimes it’s best not to say anything, but being of South American nature it’s difficult to be quiet and sit back.

“Our politics are fiery in Latin America, we don’t get anywhere by sitting on the sidelines.”

Cllr Gomez moved to London from the northern Colombian city of Barranquilla in 1972, at the age of 15, and became involved in left-wing politics as an activist supporting her local MP, Jeremy Corbyn.

She began working as a human rights activist with Colombians “fleeing persecution, torture and running for their lives” in the 1980s and was outspoken in the media.

Her support for refugees turned into a career, visiting prisoners of conscience in Colombia, working with the Refugee Council and later as an immigration advisor for the Citizens Advice Bureau.

She remains engaged with Colombian politics and campaigned for new left-wing president Gustavo Petro, which has given her a sense of relief and hope.

After the attempt on her life in 2010, Cllr Gomez returned to London for safety reasons and settled in Redbridge, where she worked for a local disability charity until she was elected.

Speaking about her return, she said: “No one knew why or where [the attack] came from, there was no investigation that told me about it.

“This is home for me, I spent more time in this country than I did over there, and as soon as I was able to fly back I did. 

“I’ve continued with my engagement in local communities, and the resilience in me became even stronger to help people from all walks of life, whether they are disabled or in other circumstances.

“What else would it do? Why would I lock myself away and be sorry for myself? I’ve always done things for my community.”