Rajesh Agrawal, formerly Deputy Mayor of London for Business and Chairman of London and Partners, London's trade and business growth agency, resigned from his position in November 2023 to shift his focus to Leicester, where he is now campaigning for election as a Member of Parliament in the upcoming general election.
In an interview with Asian Voice, Rajesh discusses his vision for Leicester East, the Labour Party, and outlines why he believes he is the ideal candidate for the constituency.
As a leader within the Labour Party, what do you believe are the party's greatest strengths and opportunities in the current political landscape, both nationally and within the Leicester East constituency?
Over past few months, I have had thousands of conversations on the doorsteps with the people of Leicester East. It is very clear that like much of the country, Leicester East is ready for change. Fourteen years of conservative government has taken this country backwards – poor economic growth means there are no jobs or well-paying jobs, it’s extremely difficult to get GP or hospital appointments, class sizes have gone up and children can’t get places in schools.
Keir Starmer has changed the Labour Party – now he is ready to change the country. Our manifesto is an ambitious programme driven by belief in our country and its potential for the future, to get back to economic growth and get back hope and opportunity for the next generation. It is the change the country needs.
Speaking to Asian Voice, Conservatives’ Shivani Raja has promised a fresh perspective while Keith Vaz is endorsing his “wealth of experience”. What do you bring to the table? Why should the residents of Leicester East vote for you over the other candidates?
I grew up in a humble family in India and like many residents of Leicester East, I arrived in the UK with very little in 2001. After working in IT support, I founded and built a number of tech businesses. In 2016, I was appointed as Deputy Mayor of London for business where I served for nearly 8 years.
It is not just my experience as a first-generation immigrant, a successful entrepreneur, and as Deputy Mayor of London that I believe makes me the right choice to have the honour of representing Leicester East in Parliament. It is my Labour values, that we need to create a fairer, more equal society.
As Deputy Mayor of London, I helped create 330,000 jobs, improve working conditions of hundreds of thousands of people, helped tens of thousands of businesses and attracted billions in international investment.
India is the fastest growing economy in the world, and I did huge amount of work to strengthen the relationship between my Janmbhoomi and my karmabhoomi . When I first became the deputy mayor, India was 4th largest investor in London and by the time I left, India was the biggest investor in London.
I want to use my experience and networks to for the betterment of Leicester East.
There are significant narratives around Islamophobia and antisemitism in the UK, and Labour has been in the spotlight. As a representative of the Asian minorities, do you think the party is serious about safeguarding the interests of the minority communities?
I am very proud to be the first Hindu deputy mayor of London, working alongside the first Muslim mayor of London in one of the most diverse cities on earth.
The Labour Party is committed to building a Britain where all faith communities are safe and where diversity is celebrated. There is no place in our society for racism including Islamophobia, Antisemitism and Hinduphobia.
Labour would bring forward a new hate crime strategy, including action to tackle online hate. Last spring, the then-Home Secretary (Suella Braverman) downgraded police recording requirements for non-crime hate incidents, meaning the police would no longer have to collect data on perpetrators of hate incidents. Labour would reverse those changes in the context of religious hate incidents, to ensure that anyone engaging in religious hate – online or offline – would be properly identified and monitored by the police to prevent escalation.
Everyone in this country deserves a government that matches their ambition. Labour is committed to increasing diversity at all levels. This election has record number of candidates from Asian community standing in winnable seats from the Labour party.
What message would you like to convey to the residents of Leicester East as you embark on your campaign to represent them in Parliament?
I have a proven track record of delivery. I will work with the local community, business, local and national government to bring more national and international investment in Leicester. I will make the case to improve public services including the NHS. I will bring communities together and be the MP for everybody in Leicester East.
I will work tirelessly to serve the people of Leicester East. I will put Leicester East first, like I just did in my meeting with the Mayor of Leicester, making a case for continuing Leicester's world-famous Leicester Diwali celebrations.
