London, Thursday's general election in the United Kingdom is expected to result in the most diverse Parliament in the country's history, including the number of MPs of Indian descent likely to be elected across the country.
According to an analysis by British think tank Future, Labor will have by far the largest number of ethnic minority MPs if the party wins an overall majority and even more so in a landslide scenario.
With around 14 per cent of MPs coming from ethnic minorities this time around, the analysis finds the new Parliament will be closer than ever to reflecting the diversity of the British electorate.
"This election will see the biggest increase in ethnic minority representation and the most diverse Parliament ever seen," said Sunder Katwala, director of British Future.
“In 40 years, we will have gone from zero to one in seven parliamentarians being from an ethnic minority. “Britain is closing the gap between the diversity of Parliament and the electorate much faster than anyone thought possible,” he said.
In the last general election in 2019, 15 MPs of Indian descent crossed the line, many of whom are contesting again alongside several first-time MPs.
Conservative Party MP Alok Sharma and Labor veteran Virendra Sharma are among the most prominent British Indians not seeking re-election this time, from Reading West and Ealing Southall respectively.
The latter constituency, with a large Punjabi electorate, has two British Sikh candidates contesting as independents: Sangeet Kaur Bhail and Jaginder Singh.
Some of the key British Indian candidates to watch in Thursday's polls include Praful Nargund, who is contesting for Labor in Islington North, home of now-suspended former party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who is contesting as an independent candidate.
Jas Athwal is contesting in another Labor stronghold of Iford South, while Baggy Shanker in Derby South, Satvir Kaur in Southampton Test and Harpreet Uppal in Huddersfield are competing for more marginal seats for the party.
Indore-born former London Deputy Mayor for Business Rajesh Agrawal is fighting to become a first-time MP for Leicester East and is facing a fellow British Indian Conservative candidate, Shivani Raja.
This constituency, which represents a large electorate of Indian descent, will be closely watched as its former MP of Goan origin, Keith Vaz, is also in the race as an independent candidate.
British Sikhs, including lawyer Warinder Juss from Wolverhampton West, central England, and Gurinder Singh Josan from Smethwick, hope to make gains for Labour, as does Bihar-born Kanishka Narayan, who will contest in the Vale of Glamorgan , hoping to be chosen as the first Indian. -Welsh-born MP and Sonia Kumar hoping to overthrow the Conservative majority in Dudley.
For the Conservative Party, Chandra Kanneganti in Stoke-on-Trent Central and Ameet Jogia in Hendon face a tough fight in a race consistently predicted to favor the opposition Labor Party.
“A diverse parliament brings different perspectives to its work, which can lead to more effective policymaking. MPs who come from different backgrounds can be role models for their communities, inspiring young people to vote and get involved in politics,” says Jill Rutter, British Future Associate Fellow who led the think tank analysis.
Of the sitting MPs, the British Indians most vulnerable to a Labor swing at the election include Conservative MPs Shailesh Vara from north-west Cambridgeshire, Gagan Mohindra from south-west Hertfordshire and Claire Coutinho from east Surrey.
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is expected to retain his seat in Richmond and Northallerton, northern England, as are his former cabinet colleagues Priti Patel in Witham, Essex, and Suella Braverman in Fareham and Waterlooville. .
With a series of retirements and departures, largely of incumbent Conservatives, the new Parliament elected on Friday will have around 158 new MPs in the House of Commons.
According to an analysis by British think tank Future, Labor will have by far the largest number of ethnic minority MPs if the party wins an overall majority and even more so in a landslide scenario.
With around 14 per cent of MPs coming from ethnic minorities this time around, the analysis finds the new Parliament will be closer than ever to reflecting the diversity of the British electorate.
"This election will see the biggest increase in ethnic minority representation and the most diverse Parliament ever seen," said Sunder Katwala, director of British Future.
“In 40 years, we will have gone from zero to one in seven parliamentarians being from an ethnic minority. “Britain is closing the gap between the diversity of Parliament and the electorate much faster than anyone thought possible,” he said.
In the last general election in 2019, 15 MPs of Indian descent crossed the line, many of whom are contesting again alongside several first-time MPs.
Conservative Party MP Alok Sharma and Labor veteran Virendra Sharma are among the most prominent British Indians not seeking re-election this time, from Reading West and Ealing Southall respectively.
The latter constituency, with a large Punjabi electorate, has two British Sikh candidates contesting as independents: Sangeet Kaur Bhail and Jaginder Singh.
Some of the key British Indian candidates to watch in Thursday's polls include Praful Nargund, who is contesting for Labor in Islington North, home of now-suspended former party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who is contesting as an independent candidate.
Jas Athwal is contesting in another Labor stronghold of Iford South, while Baggy Shanker in Derby South, Satvir Kaur in Southampton Test and Harpreet Uppal in Huddersfield are competing for more marginal seats for the party.
Indore-born former London Deputy Mayor for Business Rajesh Agrawal is fighting to become a first-time MP for Leicester East and is facing a fellow British Indian Conservative candidate, Shivani Raja.
This constituency, which represents a large electorate of Indian descent, will be closely watched as its former MP of Goan origin, Keith Vaz, is also in the race as an independent candidate.
British Sikhs, including lawyer Warinder Juss from Wolverhampton West, central England, and Gurinder Singh Josan from Smethwick, hope to make gains for Labour, as does Bihar-born Kanishka Narayan, who will contest in the Vale of Glamorgan , hoping to be chosen as the first Indian. -Welsh-born MP and Sonia Kumar hoping to overthrow the Conservative majority in Dudley.
For the Conservative Party, Chandra Kanneganti in Stoke-on-Trent Central and Ameet Jogia in Hendon face a tough fight in a race consistently predicted to favor the opposition Labor Party.
“A diverse parliament brings different perspectives to its work, which can lead to more effective policymaking. MPs who come from different backgrounds can be role models for their communities, inspiring young people to vote and get involved in politics,” says Jill Rutter, British Future Associate Fellow who led the think tank analysis.
Of the sitting MPs, the British Indians most vulnerable to a Labor swing at the election include Conservative MPs Shailesh Vara from north-west Cambridgeshire, Gagan Mohindra from south-west Hertfordshire and Claire Coutinho from east Surrey.
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is expected to retain his seat in Richmond and Northallerton, northern England, as are his former cabinet colleagues Priti Patel in Witham, Essex, and Suella Braverman in Fareham and Waterlooville. .
With a series of retirements and departures, largely of incumbent Conservatives, the new Parliament elected on Friday will have around 158 new MPs in the House of Commons.
