UK Gets 12 Sikh MPs

In the recent UK elections, which the Labour Party swept, a record 12 members from the Sikh community, including 6 women, and 4 identifiable Sikhs were elected to the House of Commons. They are among the 28 elected Indian-origin Members of Parliament (MPs). All the Sikh MPs belong to the Labour Party. They include 9 first-timers, 2 who have been elected for the third consecutive time, and 1 who made it to the House of Commons for the second time. Preet Kaur Gill and Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi won back their seats for Labour in Birmingham Edgbaston and Slough, respectively for the third consecutive time. Nadia Whittome, who describes herself as a Sikh Catholic and is openly queer, won a second time from Nottingham East. Harinder Singh, Senior Fellow of Research & Policy at the Sikh Research Institute, said that the UK has elected the ‘most diverse’ Sikh-descent parliamentarians. ‘Given that all are from the Labour Party, the party must elevate those who have been elected for the second time and third time as ministers. All Sikh MPs must address the Sikh and the Panjab issues at policy levels as they govern for all UK constituents and navigate strategic partnerships with India. They must not ignore the plight of Sikhs in Pakistan either.’ Unlike the UK, where all Sikh MPs are from the Labour Party, in Canada, they are present in all three mainstream parties – 13 from the Liberal Party, 4 from the Conservative Party, and 1 from the New Democratic Party. India has 11 Sikh MPs. 7 from INC, 2 from AAP, 1 from SAD, and 2 independents. The ruling party in India, BJP has no Sikh, Muslim, or Christian MP.

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