UK Election: Record number of Indian-origin MPs elected to British Parliament
- In Reports
- 08:25 PM, Jul 05, 2024
- Myind Staff
In the UK's recent general election results announced on July 5th, a record number of approximately 26 Indian-origin Members of Parliament (MPs) have been elected to the House of Commons. Despite an overall challenging outcome for the Conservative Party, several Indian-origin Conservative MPs managed to retain their seats.
Outgoing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was among those who successfully held on to his seat in Richmond and Northallerton constituency in Yorkshire. His victory, amidst the Conservative Party's loss of over 200 seats and the Labour Party's landslide win, provided some consolation to the Tories.
The significant representation of Indian-origin MPs in the House of Commons underscores the growing political influence and presence of the British-Indian community in UK politics.
"On this challenging evening, I want to thank the residents of the Richmond and Northallerton constituency for their unwavering support. Since my family and I settled here ten years ago, you have warmly welcomed us, and I eagerly anticipate continuing to serve you in the years ahead," stated Sunak, aiming to dispel speculations about his future political aspirations.
Several prominent British Indian Conservatives managed to retain their seats in the recent UK general election. This includes former home secretaries Suella Braverman and Priti Patel, along with Rishi Sunak's ally from Goa, Claire Coutinho, who serves in the Cabinet. Gagan Mohindra also maintained his position in South West Hertfordshire for the Conservatives.
In Leicester East, Shivani Raja secured a victory for the Conservatives, defeating fellow Indian-origin Labour candidate Rajesh Agrawal. Their campaigns focused significantly on preserving Leicester's famous Diwali lights amidst council budget challenges.
However, not all outcomes were favourable for the Tories. Shailesh Vara narrowly lost his seat in North West Cambridgeshire to Labour, marking a significant loss. Additionally, first-time candidate Ameet Jogia was unsuccessful in retaining the Tory-held seat of Hendon in London, which also went to Labour in this election.
In line with the overall outcome of the election, the Labour Party celebrated significant victories among Indian diaspora candidates. Veteran Labour MP Seema Malhotra comfortably retained her seat in Feltham and Heston, highlighting the party's strong performance in key constituencies.
Valerie Vaz, of Goan origin and sister of Keith Vaz, secured a win in Walsall and Bloxwich, contributing to Labour's successes across diverse demographics. Similarly, Lisa Nandy achieved a substantial victory in Wigan, further bolstering Labour's presence in Parliament.
Among British Sikh MPs, Preet Kaur Gill successfully defended her seat in Birmingham Edgbaston against Conservative newcomer Ashvir Sangha. Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi also retained his seat in Slough, showcasing Labour's support within the Sikh community. Other notable Labour re-elections include Navendu Mishra in Stockport and Nadia Whittome in Nottingham East, both securing convincing majorities and reinforcing Labour's standing in their respective constituencies.
Newcomers from the British Indian community made significant gains for the Labour Party in the recent election. Candidates such as Jas Athwal in Ilford South, Baggy Shanker in Derby South, Satvir Kaur in Southampton Test, Harpreet Uppal in Huddersfield, Warinder Juss in Wolverhampton West, Gurinder Josan in Smethwick, Kanishka Narayan in Vale of Glamorgan, Sonia Kumar in Dudley, Sureena Brackenbridge in Wolverhampton North East, Kirith Entwistle in Bolton North East, Jeevun Sandher in Loughborough, and Sojan Joseph in Ashford are among those set to enter Parliament. The Liberal Democrats also had a successful election, gaining over 60 seats, with Munira Wilson reclaiming her Twickenham constituency.
In a closely watched race, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn contested as an Independent in Islington North, defeating his British Indian Labour challenger Praful Nargund, which was a notable outcome on Labour's radar.
Image Source: The Indian Express
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