LONDON: Virendra Sharma, a veteran Indian-origin member of the UK Parliament and a vocal supporter of closer India-UK relations over the years, announced his decision to step back from frontline politics and not seek re-election in the July 4 UK general election. Is. ,
The 77-year-old Labor MP, who has won a record four general elections since his 2007 by-election victory in the heavily Punjabi-dominated Ellyn Southall constituency, said it is time for a new chapter in his life as a grandfather.
Born in Punjab's Mandhali village, the politician moved to the UK in 1968 and started as a bus conductor before studying at the London School of Economics (LSE) on a trade union scholarship and becoming a leading trade unionist of his time.
"To reconcile those different, but complementary identities, as a British Indian and as a Hindu, as a Labor member, councilor and MP," Sharma said in a letter addressed to his party on Monday evening. Never had to struggle."
“For more than 50 years, I have served the party in some capacity or the other.Now believe that it is time to start another chapter. I want to tell you that I will not be standing at the next election... This will not diminish my desire for Labor to win, and I am confident that we will.
He said, "I will continue to support Labor and I hope to remain part of the Labor project, but not from inside the House of Commons."
Sharma, who chairs the Indo-British All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) and co-chairs the British Hindu APPG, has been a very vocal supporter of closer India-UK relations over the years.
His election in the 2007 by-election followed the death of Piara Singh Khabra, another long-serving veteran Labor MP of Indian origin, from Ealing Southall, and the constituency has since remained a Labor Party stronghold.Sharma praised his wife Nirmala's "continued support" over the years and pledged to continue "campaigning on the streets" ahead of "Labour's entry into Downing Street" with party leader Keir Starmer as Britain's new Prime Minister. took.
"It's clear to me that the country is crying out for change, and Keir [deputy leader] Angela [Renner] and the entire Labor Party represent the change that this country needs," he said.
“I was proud to nominate Keir as leader in 2020, and the promises he made to rebuild this party have put us on the path to power and I am proud to serve as a Labor MP .“We have decimated anti-Semitism from the Labor Party and we have reached the brink of government with our worst result in a century,” he said.
The 77-year-old Labor MP, who has won a record four general elections since his 2007 by-election victory in the heavily Punjabi-dominated Ellyn Southall constituency, said it is time for a new chapter in his life as a grandfather.
Born in Punjab's Mandhali village, the politician moved to the UK in 1968 and started as a bus conductor before studying at the London School of Economics (LSE) on a trade union scholarship and becoming a leading trade unionist of his time.
"To reconcile those different, but complementary identities, as a British Indian and as a Hindu, as a Labor member, councilor and MP," Sharma said in a letter addressed to his party on Monday evening. Never had to struggle."
“For more than 50 years, I have served the party in some capacity or the other.Now believe that it is time to start another chapter. I want to tell you that I will not be standing at the next election... This will not diminish my desire for Labor to win, and I am confident that we will.
He said, "I will continue to support Labor and I hope to remain part of the Labor project, but not from inside the House of Commons."
Sharma, who chairs the Indo-British All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) and co-chairs the British Hindu APPG, has been a very vocal supporter of closer India-UK relations over the years.
His election in the 2007 by-election followed the death of Piara Singh Khabra, another long-serving veteran Labor MP of Indian origin, from Ealing Southall, and the constituency has since remained a Labor Party stronghold.Sharma praised his wife Nirmala's "continued support" over the years and pledged to continue "campaigning on the streets" ahead of "Labour's entry into Downing Street" with party leader Keir Starmer as Britain's new Prime Minister. took.
"It's clear to me that the country is crying out for change, and Keir [deputy leader] Angela [Renner] and the entire Labor Party represent the change that this country needs," he said.
“I was proud to nominate Keir as leader in 2020, and the promises he made to rebuild this party have put us on the path to power and I am proud to serve as a Labor MP .“We have decimated anti-Semitism from the Labor Party and we have reached the brink of government with our worst result in a century,” he said.
