LONDON, May 7 - Two Pakistani-heritage women have become the first Muslim females to be elected to the British Parliament following their success in the Thursday’s UK national polls which, however, has seen none of the three mainstream parties gain absolute majority to form a stable next government.
According to Ahlul Bayt News Agency (ABNA.ir), Yasmin Qureshi, a 47-year-old practising barrister, held on to the Labour seat from Bolton south east constituency (north west England), by taking 18782 votes against her Conservative party rival Andy Morgan who polled 15827 votes. Qureshi was contesting the election in place of Dr. Brian Iddon who has retired from politics.
The other successful woman was Oxford-educated barrister Shabana Mahmood and a Labour candidate who won with 19950 votes.She defeated her nearest Liberal-Democrat rival Ayoub Khan who bagged 9845 votes. Another Muslim candidate Nusrat Ghani who fought the election on Conservative Party ticket secured 4277 votes.
Ms.Mahmood defended the seat which was previously held by former International Development Secretary Clare Short who stepped down from Birmingham Ladywood constituency.
The third successful woman to have secured her passage to the Westminster was Rushanara Ali of Bangladesh-descent who won East London constituency of Bethnal Green and Bow with 21784 votes and in the process wrested the seat from Respect Unity Coalition whose candidate Abjol Miah got 8532 votes. In second place was Ajmal Mansoor of Liberal-Democrat with 10210 votes.
However, the other Labour aspirant Maryam Khan, 27-year-old solicitor, contesting from Bury North, went down fighting to her Conservative Party rival David Nuttal who polled 18070 votes against Khan’s 15827.
Ms.Khan was chosen to defend the seat previously held by David Chaytor who was barred by the Labour Party from standing again and is being prosecuted over his expenses as a former MP.Labour also suffered defeat in Dewsbury, north west England, where sitting MP Shahid Malik, a junior minister, lost to his Conservative rival Simon Reevell by a narrow margin of 1526 votes. Reevell polled 18898 votes against 17372 votes by Malik who was tainted in MPs expenses scandal last year and had to step down as a minister for the investigation to complete. He was eventually cleared of any misdoing.
However, according to analysts, Malik’s chances were dented by another Pakistan-origin candidate Khizer Iqbal who stood as independent and returned with crucial 3813 votes in a seven-corner contest.
In Luton South constituency, Pakistan-origin councillor Qurban Hussein of Liberal-Democrat failed to unseat his Labour rival Gavin Shuker who secured 14725 votes. Hussein in fact, finished third with 9567 votes behind the second placed Nigel Huddleston of the Tory party.
In East London constituency of Walthamstow, Labour held on to its seat when Stella Creasy won easily with 21,252 votes against Pakistani-descent Farid Ahmed who gained 11774 votes as Lib-Dem candidate.
In the neighbouring Leytonstone and Wanstead constituency, another Pakistan-origin candidate Farooq Qureshi who fought on Lib-Dem ticket failed to dislodge Labour’s John Cryer who polled 17511 votes against 11095 by the loser.
Labour was also successful in Birmingham Perry Bar constituency where Khalid Mahmood successful defended his seat with 21,142 votes against his Lib-Dem rival Karen Hamilton with 9234 votes.
In the adjoining constituency of Birmingham Hall Green, Salma Yaqoob, of Pakistani descent, failed again in her attempt to reach the Westminster. The Respect-Unity Coalition candidate polled 12240 which were not enough to unseat Labour’s Roger Godsiff who secured 16039 votes.
In the East London constituency of Poplar and Lime house, pro-Pakistan candidate George Galloway (8160 votes) was beaten into third place when Jim Fitzpatrick held on to the seat with 18679 votes.
From the West Midlands constituency of Bromsgrove, banker Sajid Javid become the first Tory Muslim candidate to win. He was able to defend the seat left by resigning MP Julie Kirkbride. Javid polled 22558 votes against his Labour rival Sam Burden who secured 11250 votes.
Similarly, in the south east England constituency of Gilligham and Rainham, Rehman Chisti of Pakistani origin, wrestled Labour seat for the Conservative party when he defeated Paul Clarke by 21,624 votes to 12944.
In Bradford West, Tory Zahid Iqbal was unable to unseat Labour’s Marsha Singh who won with 18401 votes against 12638 votes of his rival. Arshad Ali, a British-Pakistani representing Respect Unity Coalition got 1245 votes.
Another British-Pakistani to lose was Zuffar Haq of Lib-Dem who polled 17071 votes against Edward Garnier who retained the seat for Tory with 26894 votes.
Afzal Anwar (9095 votes) was the other unsuccessful candidate of Lib-Dem who failed in his bid from Pendle (north west England) constituency and was beaten into third place by Tory’s Andrew Stephenson (17512 votes) who won against sitting Labour MP Gordon Prentice (13927 votes).
From Manchester Gorton constituency, veteran Labour MP and Pakistan friendly Gerald Kaufmann returned successfully with 19211 votes against his nearest rival Qasim Afzal of Lib-dem who got 12508 votes.
Respect Unity Coalition’s Muhammad Zulfiqar of Pakistan origin managed fifth position with 507 votes.
In the London south west constituency of Richmond Park, Zac Goldsmith, brother of Jemima Khan, former wife of PTI Chairman Imran Khan, unseated Susan Kramer of Lib-Dem in a closely contested election, winning by 29461 votes to 25370.
Imran had canvassed for Zac who promised the British Pakistani residents of his constituency to watch and espouse Pakistan’s interest in the British Parliament.
In the last Parliament there were four Muslim MPs all of Pakistani-origin. With Thursday’s polls, the number has increased to eight including three women. Anas Sarwar (Glasgow Central) and Sadiq Khan (Tooting, south west London) were declared winners last night.
At least 80 Muslim candidates belonging to various parties competed in the polls.
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