A peek at the prominent British-Pakistani candidates contesting in 2024 UK elections

In the highly charged campaign for the UK elections on July 4, 2024, a notable number of British-Pakistani and Kashmiri-origin candidates are contesting in parliamentary seats.

Key issues such as the economy, immigration, inflation, and the Gaza conflict dominate the British political landscape, according to media reports.

Approximately a dozen British-Pakistani candidates are standing in areas of the UK including Birmingham, Greater Manchester, Bradford, Bedford, Dewsbury, London, and Scotland.

London — Holborn and St Pancras

 

The potential future prime minister and Labour leader Keir Starmer is facing opposition from British-Pakistani lawyer Mehreen Malik on the Conservative ticket.
Others in the race are Andrew Feinstein (independent), Wais Islam (independent), Senthil Kumar (independent), John Poynton (UKIP), David Roberts (Reform UK), Tom Scripps (Socialist Equality), Bobby Smith (independent) and David Stansell (Green).

Birmingham — Ladywood

Shabana Mahmood, representing the Labour Party in Birmingham Ladywood, is a prominent candidate.

Mahmood, an Oxford graduate, has been a Labour MP since 2010 and is considered close to Labour leader Keir Starmer.

She faces competition from Conservative Shazna Muzammil and Independent Akhmed Yakoob, among others.

Birmingham — Perry Barr

Khalid Mahmood, the Labour Party’s longest-serving British-Pakistani MP, is running in Birmingham Perry Barr.

His primary challenge comes from Independent Ayoub Khan, a former Liberal Democrat councillor.

Bradford West

In Bradford West, Naz Shah, a high-profile Labour MP, faces a strong challenge from independent candidate Muhammed Ali Islam, whose campaign focuses on the conflict in Gaza.

Coventry South

Labour’s Zarah Sultana, an activist first elected in 2019, is contesting Coventry South.

She narrowly won her seat last time and faces several opponents, including Reform UK’s Chris Baddon and independent candidate Joshua Morland.

Gillingham and Rainham

Candidate of the Conservative Party Rehman Chishti, first elected in 2010, represents Gillingham and Rainham.

Chishti's family hails from Muzaffarabad, AJK, and he has held various advisory roles.

Manchester — Rusholme

Afzal Khan, Labour’s candidate for Manchester Rusholme, was first elected in 2017.

He is running against Conservative Alexandra Marsanu and independent Faraz Bhatti.

Airdrie and Shotts — Scotland

In Scotland, Anum Qaisar of the Scottish National Party and Labour’s Dr Zubir Ahmed are notable contenders in Airdrie and Shotts and Glasgow South West, respectively.

The presence of independent candidates, largely campaigning on the Gaza issue, reflects the discontent among voters in Muslim-majority constituencies. This election sees a significant mobilisation of the British-Pakistani community, using social media to campaign and address misinformation.

The UK’s diverse electorate, including around four million Muslims, is closely watching these elections, which could reshape the political landscape in several key areas.