Exclusive: UK: Muslim MPs prominent in Labour resurgence

June 10, 2017

The number of Muslim MPs elected to Parliament has risen to another record of 15, boosted by the sudden and unexpected resurgence in support for Labour under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn.

Votes by the Muslim community appear to have made a difference in the UK election, a community group has said, noting swings toward the Labour Party in several key areas.
The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) earlier identified 39 constituencies where votes by the Muslim community may have a high or medium impact.

While members of the council are keen to point out that UK Muslims do not constitute one single group and do not vote as one, they say the community has historically favored the opposition Labour Party.
All 16 constituencies where the influence of Muslim communities was found by the MCB to be “high” are now Labour seats. Five were gained from the Conservatives in Thursday’s election, while Labour strengthened its lead in others.
There were also significant swings toward the Labour Party in many of the 23 constituencies where the MCB determined the impact of Muslim voters as being “medium.”

Miqdaad Versi, assistant secretary general of the MCB, said before the election that he had expected a higher turnout among Muslim voters.

Newly elected Muslim MPs (L-R) Manchester Gorton MP, Afzal Khan, Bedford MP, Mohammad Yasin and Warrington South MP, Faisal Rashid

MUSLIM MPs ELECTED: *Gain

Afzal Khan* (Labour) – Manchester Gorton
Faisal Rashid* (Labour) – Warrington South
Imran Hussain (Labour) – Bradford East
Khalid Mahmood (Labour) – Birmingham Perry Barr
Mohammad Yasin* (Labour) – Bedford
Naz Shah (Labour) – Bradford West
Nusrat Ghani (Conservative) – Wealden
Rehman Chishti (Conservative) – Gillingham & Rainham
Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour) – Tooting
Rupa Huq (Labour) – Ealing Central & Acton
Rushanara Ali (Labour) – Bethnal Green and Bow
Sajid Javid (Conservative) – Bromsgrove
Shabana Mahmood (Labour) – Birmingham Ladywood
Tulip Siddiq (Labour) – Hampstead & Kilburn
Yasmin Qureshi (Labour) – Bolton South East