Ethnic minorities in politics.. numbers don’t lie

ANAS Sarwar said the lack of ethnic minority politicians in Scotland illustrates the extent of prejudice the community faces. The Glasgow MSP said: “We still haven’t understood the scale of the challenge. In the entire history of Westminster elections in Scotland, we have only ever elected three ethnic minority – not even Muslim, but ethnic minority – politicians. Two from within one family. “In five Scottish Parliament elections, we have elected only four different ethnic minority politicians. To look at the leadership contest in that context makes it seem like a big ask and it was a big ask.”

MOHAMMAD SARWAR GLASGOW CENTRAL MP 1997-2010

Anas’s father was the first Muslim MP in Scotland – and Britain – when elected for Glasgow Central in 1997.

He arrived in Scotland from Pakistan in 1979 and established a cash and carry empire before moving into politics, representing Glasgow at Westminster until 2010.

He returned to Pakistan in 2013 and served as governor of the Punjab region for two years.

BASHIR AHMAD GLASGOW MSP 2007-2009

The first Muslim member of the Scottish Parliament was elected for the SNP in 2007.

After a successful business career, Ahmad represented the SNP on Glasgow Council before making history by heading to Holyrood.

Born in India before partition, he lived and worked in Glasgow for more than 35 years. He died in 2009.

HUMZA YOUSAF SNP MSP 2007-PRESENT

Scotland’s current Transport Minister was the victim of racist abuse on social media after taking his oath in Urdu in 2016.

First elected in 2011, he was seen as a rising star of the SNP. He worked as a parliamentary assistant for Bashir Ahmad, after Ahmad’s election as Scotland’s first Muslim MSP in 2007, until Ahmad’s death two years later.

TASMINA AHMED-SHEIK OCHIL AND SOUTH PERTHSHIRE 2015-2017

She was Scotland’s first female Muslim MP when elected in the SNP landslide in 2015.

She attracted headlines after condemning then presidential hopeful Donald Trump’s call for the US to close its borders to Muslims.

She lost her seat last year and now works on ex-first minister Alex Salmond’s TV show.

HANZALA MALIK

Malik was a Labour MSP for Glasgow from 2011 to 2016. He was a councillor from 1995 to 2012 and returned to the council after losing his seat at Holyrood.