LONDON: Around a dozen MPs of British-Pakistani and Kashmiri descent are in the running for the July 4, 2024 UK election in a highly charged election campaign dominated by issues of the economy, immigration, rising crime inflation and Israel’s war in Gaza.
Most potential British-Pakistani candidates are running in Birmingham and West Midlands (5 seats), Greater Manchester (two seats), Bradford (two seats), Bedford and Dewsbury (one seat each), London and Southeast (one seat). each) and Scotland (two places).
In an interesting first development, the challenge to Labor candidates is not coming from mainstream parties such as the Conservatives, Lib Dems, Greens or the newly reformed Reform Party or the Labor Party of Great Britain led by George Galloway, but from a number of independents of Pakistani and Kashmiri origin who are campaigning on the Gaza issue.
Almost all the “independents” in these areas have been campaigning since October 7 last year mostly on the issue of Israel’s war on Palestine.
There is huge anger against the Labor Party in former safe Labor strongholds with significant numbers of Muslim and Pakistani voters, and its support for Israel and independent parties are trying to exploit that anger – mainly through social media such as TikTok, WhatsApp and Instagram. There is a lot of fake news, misinformation and toxicity at play in this election.
Below is a list of prominent candidates from Pakistan and Kashmir – who are either in safe seats, have a high probability of winning, or are running as major candidates from major parties.
Birmingham – Ladywood
Shabana Mahmood (Labour) is a senior British-Pakistani politician. The Oxford graduate was first elected on a Labor ticket in 2010 and has been winning ever since.
She is believed to be in Labor leader Keir Starmer’s inner circle. She won the last election with a majority of 28,000 votes — 80% of the total number of votes cast.
She was Labor’s national campaign co-ordinator for several months. She was also part of Starmer’s core team which prepared Labour’s manifesto.
Her opponents this time are Shazna Muzammil (Conservative), Akhmed Yakoob (Independent), Zoe Challenor (Green Party), Lee Dargue (Liberal Democrats) and Irene Henery (Reform UK).
Birmingham – Perry Barr
Khalid Mahmood (Labour) is the most senior British Pakistani MP, first elected in 2001 almost 24 years ago from the area.
His opponents are Sabah Hamed (Liberal Democrats), Garry Hickton (Conservative), Andy Chaffer (Communist Party of Britain), Kefentse Dennis (Green Party), Akshay Khuttan (Reform UK) and Shangara Singh (Socialist Labour).
The strongest challenger to Khalid Mahmood is Ayoub Khan (Independent), who was a local councilor for several years and resigned from the Liberal Democrats a few months ago.
Birmingham – Hall Green & Moseley
Tahir Ali (Labour) was first elected in 2019 by an overwhelming majority of over 28,000 votes.
But this time he faces challenges from opponents Barrister Mohammad Hafeez (Independent), Shakeel Afsar (Independent), Zain Ahmed (Green Party), Henry Morris (Conservative Party), Izzy Knowles (Liberal Democrats) and Raja Babar Saleem (Independent).
Both Mohammad Hafeez and Shakeel Afsar are set to split the independent vote and both are vying for votes in the same constituency.
Afsar has campaigned on several local issues in the past.
Hafeez is a senior criminal defense barrister who has also worked as a prosecutor for the UK’s Crime Prosecution Service (CPS).
Interestingly, he was in the Labor Party with his whole family until recently and the Labor leader and Prime Minister hopeful Sir Keir Starmer was also in the CPS a few years ago.
Hafeez left the Labor Party in solidarity with former Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn, who gave strong words of support to Hafeez.
Bradford West
Naz Shah (Labour) is running from this seat for re-election on the Labor ticket.
One of the most prominent female MPs of Muslim and Pakistani origin since she was first elected in 2015 after defeating George Galloway, Naz Shah faces challenges from Imad Ahmed (Liberal Democrat), Nigel Moxon (Conservative), Khalid Mahmood (Green Party), Jamie Hinton- Wardle (Reform UK), Umar Ghafoor (Independent), Akeel Hussain (Independent) and Muhammed Ali Islam (Independent).
21-year-old Ali Islam was elected as a councilor in a local anti-Labour revolt a few weeks ago, winning over 4,000 votes.
His campaign focuses on Gaza and has strong support in several areas of the constituency.
Bradford East
Imran Hussain (Labour) has Jacob Anstey (Reform UK), Aubrey Holt (Conservative), Robert O’Carroll (Liberal Democrat), Richard Riley (Social Democrat), Lara Barras (The Yorkshire Party) and Celia Hickson (Green Party) against him.
However, Mohammed Rahman (Independent), Amer Rehman (Independent) and Talat Sajawal (Independent) are likely to get many votes.
Hussain was first elected in 2015. He is running for the same seat again.
Bolton South and Walkden
Yasmin Qureshi (Labour) was first elected in 2010.
Her main opponents are Professor Reis Abraham Halliwell (Independent), Mohammed Afzal (Conservative), Gemma-Jane Bowker (Liberal Democrat), Jack Khan (Labour), Philip Kochitty (Green Party) and Julie Pattison (Reform UK).
The last time she won with a majority of more than 7,000 votes.
Coventry South
Activist and campaigner Zarah Sultana of Labor was first elected in 2019 by a narrow margin of 401 votes.
He is running again on the Labor ticket.
Her main opponents are Chris Baddon (Reform UK), Mattie Heaven (Conservative), Alastair Mellon (Social Democratic Party), Joshua Morland (Independent), Niko Omilana (Independent), Anne Patterson (Green), Stephen Richmond (Liberal Democrat) and Mohammed Syed (Labor Party of Britain).
Gillingham and Rainham
Rehman Chishti (Conservative) is currently the Tory Party’s most senior Muslim MP, first elected in 2010.
Chishti, whose family hails from Muzaffarabad, AJK, is the son of an imam and also a former adviser to Benazir Bhutto, and has been winning ever since.
This time it has Naushabah Khan (Labour), Stuart Bourne (Liberal Democrat), Kate Belmonte (Green Party), Roger Peacock (Christian Nations Alliance), Rizvi Rawoof (Reform UK), Peter Wheeler (Social Democratic Party) and Peter Cook (Independent) running towards him.
London — Tooting
Dr Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour) is half Pakistani and half Polish.
She was first elected in a 2016 by-election when Sadiq Khan became Mayor of London and resigned his seat.
Her opponents are Ethan Brooks (Conservative), Judith Trounson (Liberal Democrat), Tarik Hussain (Workers Party of Britain), Jas Alduk (Rejoin EU), Nick Humberstone (Green), Andrew Price (Reform UK) and Davinder Jamus (Independent) . .
