Dear Barry Gardiner,
This is difficult to write. You have served the constituency of Brent North, as its Member of Parliament since Tony Blair was PM. And you have served with dedication and distinction. You have been well qualified with your background from Cambridge University, St Andrews and Harvard. And by the end of the next Parliament as you will touch 65, you are indeed well experienced.
You have been a great friend to the British Indian community. So much so that you are respectfully known as Barry Bhai (brother).
But bhai, in this election, at this time, I am sorry British Indians in your constituency, no one in your constituency, can afford to sleep walk to Labour. And Labour cannot have the lock on the British Indian vote.
Your challenger to represent Brent North in Parliament is Ameet Jogia. He was born and raised in neighbouring Harrow, where he has served as a local Councillor since 2014. When you entered Government in 1997 led by Blair, Ameet was still a school child.
He doesn’t come from a privileged background - quite the opposite. His family was homeless when he was a young child and so he knows only too well what it's like to be vulnerable and poor. He grew up on a Council Estate and has always valued being given a hand-up.
I guess it is that background that helps him understand the concerns of the community around healthcare, education and housing. It is that background that leads him to believe that public services can only be funded through a strong and growing economy – yes taxing companies to be sure – but profitable growing strong companies.
I, like many, no all, readers of this paper respect you Barry. But I cannot respect a party, the Labour Party, whose elected MPs attack the land of my forefathers, India. Labour MPs.
I have to stand for Ameet, who as a young MP will be part of the Government, not part of a protest movement which Labour has become. I have to stand by Ameet who will by being in Parliament as MP for Brent North strengthen the hand of the PM in negotiations with Europe, not strengthen the hand of Jeremy Corbyn.
I have to stand by Ameet who will argue against anti-Indian rhetoric from Labour MPs, not stand alongside them on the same benches, paralysed by Party loyalty from shutting them down.
Barry, you can serve the community and the country well, indeed, may I suggest from the Lords my friend? But the fight ahead in the next Parliament, belongs to the vitality and energy of one this nation’s best and most determined – Ameet Jogia.
And Barry, perhaps the worst of all, you support and defend Jeremy Corbyn by serving in his Shadow Cabinet. Whilst virtually everyone in your Parliamentary Party has left Jeremy Corbyn’s reckless protest movement, you stand loyal. We too care for the poor, the destitute, the poorly educated and those in need of care. But if Jeremy is the answer, I fear what is the question? The British people deserve better at this critical moment in our nation's history.
Barry, people of Brent North, British Indians, Britons, now is not the time for a protest vote for Labour, a wasted vote. Now is the time to say we will elevate a formerly homeless council estate boy to the most privileged of places, Parliament, and he speaks for all, not just privilege alone. He is us.
