More Indian-origin MPs likely in Britain

LONDON: TheDecember12general election is expected to result in a small increase in the number of Indian-origin MPs, with at least three new faces entering the UK House of Commons, marking a new record for the political participation of the community.

The 2017 election saw a record 12 Indian-origin MPs elected seven from the Labour Party and five from the Conservatives Party. But with the Conservatives nominating candidates from the community in two of its strongholds, the number is likely to rise to at least 14.

The two new Conservative candidates are Claire Coutinho (Surrey East) and Gagan Mohindra (Hertfordshire South West).

Coutinho has been adviser to Rishi Sunak, chief secretary to the treasury, while Mohindra has been a councillor in the Epping Forest District Council.

There has been much anger and worse over Labour’s candidate selection, particularly in Leicester East, which had been held by Keith Vaz since 1987. Vaz, the longest-serving Indian-origin MP in the House of Commons, announced early in November his retirement from Parliament after 32 years in the wake of a drugs-and-prostitution scandal.

The Labour candidate replacing him in Leicester East, Claudia Webbe, faces challenge from two community candidates snapping at her heels: Bhupen Dave (Conservative) and Nitesh Dave (Liberal Democrats).

However, Labour’s Indian-origin group is likely to be joined by Navendu Mishra, who has been nominated from its stronghold of Stockport. Mishra is sitting on a comfortable party majority in the Greater Manchester constituency. The Conservative Party has increased the number of Indianorigin candidates from 13 in 2017 to 18 – the highest among parties.