The 2017 Snap Election is unique in its own way. Not because it has been called mid way after 2 years of the majority rule by the Tory party, not because the Labour party is in such a despicable state, not because Lib Dems are rising like a falcon from the ashes, but mainly because Indians may be again the game changers in this election. In the last General Election, the Tories won a majority, with the diaspora support.
There is an emerging trend here. First, newbies especially young aspirants are contesting against experienced and seasoned MPs. In 2015, it was Conservative party's Kishan Devani standing against Labour's Keith Vaz. Devani did not win, but what he gained was a second to none experience, that will help him go a long way in his political future.
This year we have Cllr Ameet Jogia, standing from Brent North, against Labour's Barry Gardiner. Barry has been an MP for 20 years, and a Shadow Secretary for International trade, seen in every other Asian event, but his recent alleged involvement in a payment controversy from a Chinese firm, has raised some doubts in people's minds. Memories are short-lived, but the Tory party is seizing the opportunity with both hands. They have placed local boy, fresh faced and enthusiastic Ameet Jogia right at the heart of Brent North's bid.
In his maiden speech after becoming one of the youngest Councillors in 2014, Ameet spoke of his experience of being homeless as a child in 1990 and how Harrow Council helped him and his family back on his feet. Ameet had in fact paid tribute to the Labour Party during the debate in their efforts to help the vulnerable, but explained why his experiences made him a Conservative, “I’m a Conservative because I believe in empowering people to be the very best they can be; to stand on their own two feet.”
“I’m not telling you my story because I want your pity. But because I don’t want to be written off another right winger who doesn’t understand what it’s like to be poor.”
Ameet Jogia is a rising star within the Conservative Party and is commonly referred to as the “Tory blue eyed boy” within Conservative circles. Ameet has been a long standing Tory activist and signed up to the Party on his 16th birthday, working and climbing his way up the Tory ranks ever since.
Now out campaigning from door to door, speaking to Asian Voice he said, “Brent has been dominated by Labour for the last 20 years. Whilst the rest of the country has been turning blue, many people I have spoken to feel left behind by a Labour's leader Jeremy Corbyn whose ideas from the 1970s don't resonate with the residents of Brent. It is therefore time for change in Brent; time for a young and fresh face with new ideas...”
If he wins, he promises to be more accessible; particularly to young people. “If elected I would very much like to engage with more younger people who feel disillusioned with politics and encourage them to get involved,” added Jogia.
This is not the only example. Rahoul Bhansali from Brent Central is standing against Labour's Dawn Butler, whereas Meera Sonecha is standing from Leicester South against Jon Ashworth from Labour party- a similar equation, where new entrants are are competing against experienced and successful MPs.
Labour's former Councillor Navin Shah, who became an Assembly Member later, is standing opposite Tory's Bob Blackman- again someone who has been an MP for Harrow East over 7 years- known among the diaspora, helping the community as much as he can. But Navin Shah belongs to the community- with a family (daughter and wife) in politics (as Mayor/Councillors) and been serving the locals since 1994.
Both Harrow and Brent have a high population of Asian (Hindus) living in the area.
Secondly, it is a given fact that Indians have integrated into the country better than any other ethnic communities. The success has reached that stage, where one Indian-origin candidate is fighting the other this election- more in number than 2015.
Samir Jassal is standing for thev Conservative party, against Labour's Seema Malhotra in Feltham and Heston area. She was formerly the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury. There will be many such names by 11 May.
Last year it was Simon Nair who opposed Seema Malhotra in the same constituency. But Seema thinks Labour's history with minority and race relations is unparalleled. Speaking to Asian Voice, she explained how Theresa May's immigration figures or steps on equality or NHS or even pensions for women are sending out wrong signals. “The Labour party gives importance to families- something close to the diaspora values. What Theresa May is doing is ruining family lives.”
More Asian candidates enter politics
In 2015, the Conservative party had fielded 17 candidates, while Labour had put up 14. In all, there were a record 59 candidates from the community with influence in several constituencies.
The 10 Indian-origin MPs were: Keith Vaz, Valerie Vaz, Seema Malhotra, Virendra Sharma, Lisa Nandy and Priti Patel, Shailesh Vara, Alok Sharma, Rishi Sunak and Suella Fernandes. Patel and Sharma were Ministers in the Theresa May cabinet. The 10 sitting MPs will contest again, while several individuals joined parties amid a belief that the Indian community is moving away from Labour to the Conservatives in recent elections. This could be because of the increasing wealth in the community, but also because the Labour party has been accused of undermining Hindu feelings and Narendra Modi's fandom under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership.
As senior Labour MP Virendra Sharma launched his campaign in Ealing Southall, new faces such as Labour’s Rohit Dasgupta (East Hampshire) and Preet Kaur Gill (Birmingham Edgbaston) were confirmed as candidates. Labour’s Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Slough) along with Gill will seek to be one of the first Sikhs to be elected to the House of Commons.
Rohit K Dasgupta, who was born and brought up in Kolkata and graduated from Jadavpur University only eight years ago, is contesting the elections from East Hampshire seat on a Labour Party ticket. He will be the first Indian Bengali to be in the electoral fray in the UK. Dasgupta, a lecturer at the Loughborough University has been living in the UK for past eight years and became a member of the Labour Party seven years ago.
“It is a great honour to be fighting a seat for Labour Party in this election and offer a credible alternative to the Tories,” Dasgupta told Hindustan Times, describing East Hampshire as a ‘tough constituency’.
The Kolkata boy, however, is up against odds. The seat is a stronghold of the Conservative Party, which secured more than 50% votes in 2010 and 2015. Damian Hinds is representing the seat since 2010. Dasgupta’s campaign promises to focus on the issues of housing, education, health and fair living wage.
The new entrants (not candidates) include Ankit Love (son of Panthers Party leader Bhim Singh) who joined the Liberal Democrats, and former BBC journalist Pankaj Dubey, who joined Labour.
From Conservative party Cllr Reena Ranger has been selected as the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Birmingham Hall Green. Reena, is the daughter of one of the biggest entrepreneurs of the UK- Dr Rami Ranger. There is also Resham Kotecha standing from Coventry North West, and former MP Paul Uppal trying to make a come back in Wolverhampton South West.
From Lib Dem Party Amna Ahmad, is the candidate in Sutton & Cheam. The seat is run by a Lib Dem Council, was Lib Dem between 1997-2015 and also has Lib Dem MP Tom Brake next door.
Amna is only 31 and also spent time in foster care when she was a child – and is one of the rising stars in the party.
Zaffar Haq is standing from Harborough, Oadby and Wigston. Well-known local NHS campaigner Zuffar Haq is one of the first candidates to announce that he is standing in the snap General Election on 8th June. He said, “It is important to offer a voice to the tens of thousands of local people who are worried about the direction in which the Conservatives want to take our country.
“I want to represent you: fighting to improve the NHS and opposing cuts to schools.
“A Hard Brexit will be damaging for our prosperity and security. We need to fight to stay in the Single Market at the very least...”
Make sure you vote this election
Faith Communities have a great opportunity to effectively engage in British politics in order to demand that Political Parties draw up policy plans to tackle issues that affect us. The right to vote has been hard-won, and it is the duty of everyone in public life, to make sure everyone who is eligible to vote is able to vote. Remember - by being registered means that Politicians will listen to you as they know you have the power to decide who wins and who loses in the forthcoming the General Election.
The Hindu Council UK has joined an initiative by Department for Communities & Local Government (DCLG) and other Faith Organisations across the UK to encourage people from faith communities to take part in this election.
On Monday 15th May there will be a day long ‘Tweet Storm’ where faith leaders, organisations and individuals will be tweeting out to encourage voter registration.
This is not an exhaustive list and there will be many additions till end of this week. Asian Voice will keep you notified with all snap election updates regularly.
