A high-profile lawyer has vowed to overcome threats and challenges to fight a shadow cabinet member in the next general election.
Sham Uddin – who has previously campaigned for election as a Liberal Democrat councillor – will stand as an Independent Parliamentary candidate in the Bethnal Green and Bow constituency in the latest blow to the Labour party over its Palestine stance.
He wrote on professional networking site LinkedIn: “Many of you will know that I’ve said I’ll consider standing against Rushanara Ali, the MP for this constituency.
“I said I’d make my decision by December 31, 2023.
“I know that if I should stand, I’ll get substantial blowback from the Labour party as well as the Israeli lobby. I also know I’ll be getting threats to my life from various areas, and there’ll be substantial hostility from fascists as well as the Israeli lobby.
“After taking all that into consideration and knowing the risks to my life and to my career, I’ve decided to stand as an MP in this area.
“I look forward to your support and I’ll keep you updated.”
When asked on LinkedIn if he’d vote for a ceasefire in Palestine, Sham replied: “Not only would I vote for ceasefire, but I’d also vote for a total ban on arms supplies to Israel, and the prosecution of Benjamin Netanyahu and his supporters in the United Kingdom.”
Sham, who’s married with two grown-up children, outlined his reasons for standing as an MP in an interview with Asian Standard.
He said: “I feel I have a close affinity with the constituency and things have been pulling me towards the area. In June 2023, I had a Ventricular Fibrillation arrest and actually ‘died’ for a few seconds before being resuscitated by doctors at the Royal London Hospital in the constituency. Whilst I was in hospital, I heard about a flat which was for sale by auction and thought it would be great to live in the area but I wouldn’t be able to afford it. I submitted a bid and much to my surprise it was accepted.
“Last summer, a friend invited me to an event at the Houses of Parliament and as I stared at both chambers all I could do was dream of what it would be like to be an MP. Having led several unsuccessful election campaigns to become a Liberal Democrat councillor I knew the time and effort involved and with the health problems I’d experienced I thought I’d never be able to do it.
“But over time, my ambition increased, and all the signs seemed to come together – my life being saved, and me buying the flat.”
Sham continued: “Whilst in the past I’d voted for the Labour party, over the years I became extremely disillusioned with the party’s arrogance and opposition to what the voters want.
“This has become more and more apparent with the ongoing situation in Palestine and the fact that Rushanara Ali refused to vote for a ceasefire is extremely symbolic of this.
“Voters want change from the two main parties, and I believe there’s a gradual swing towards independent candidates.”
His LinkedIn followers have welcomed his announcement. In less than 24 hours after publishing a video in which he confirms his intention, the LinkedIn post had received 21,000 views.
Saq-Lain Raja, co-founder of Sentinel Capital, said: “This is the only respectable position and it’s time we started having candidates with some balls – who aren’t pro-genocide or too economically fragile, so they cow tow some party line.”
Another, Julie Martin, commented: “I’d absolutely vote for you if you were to stand in my constituency. I’ve been a lifelong loyal labour supporter, but since Keir Starmer became leader my faith in the Labour party has been destroyed and I wholeheartedly believe that politics needs a huge shakeup to rid itself of corruption. All power to you Sham.”
And Waqas Ali added: “This is a turning point in western politics. Those who aren’t part of the elite system using their voice for the benefit of society and not for their own power-hungry motives. I’m excited for you.”
Rushanara Ali, who serves as shadow minister for investment and small business, has recently faced a hostile backlash for refusing to back an amendment to the king’s speech brought by the SNP calling for a ceasefire.
About 200 people protested at her office with many stating she’d missed an opportunity to use her voice to condemn the violence from Israel – and saying they felt resentment that she had chosen to remain on the Labour frontbench rather than signal what she believed.
Ali said on social media she had “long supported a ceasefire,” but explained she was abstaining from the vote because “the reality is that this motion does not secure a ceasefire and would not lead towards one.”
She added: “Leaving the shadow government is something I am always willing to do, which is why I completely respect the decision taken by fellow MPs today. The moment I think my presence is less positively impactful than my absence, I will do so.”
Having been a solicitor-advocate in all proceedings (civil, criminal and family) for over 16 years, Sham – who describes himself on LinkedIn as “The Bengal Tiger – barrister-at-law, accredited mediator, writer, and philosopher – wanted to develop his expertise and was called to the bar as of 2015. His practices vary between family, civil, and criminal law.
Rushanara Ali – a former shadow minister for international development and shadow minister for education and young people was elected in 2010.
Prior to her election in May 2010, she was associate director of the Young Foundation, where she co-founded UpRising, a national leadership development and employability charity which has helped thousands of young people develop their campaigning and leadership skills.
Uddin’s announcement is the latest blow to the Labour party.
Commentators believe the party’s stance on Israel could impact on its vote at the next general election.
In a recent New Stateman podcast, political journalist Andrew Marr said: “The Muslim community is more united in its anger about Gaza and Palestine now than it has ever been.
“The Muslim community is turning its back on the Labour party at the moment. Labour, for a lot of Muslims, was the soft way into politics as was described to me. But it is no longer, and people are looking again very, very aggressively at what Keir Starmer has been saying and they’re being encouraged to do so by Imams and community leaders all across the country.
“And the danger for the Labour party is that the other side of this argument is really well organised and moving quite fast. So I’ve been told that there are spreadsheets passing around of every single Labour MP with a reasonable Muslim vote in each constituency, a reasonable Muslim majority, looking at exactly what he or she has said on this subject and how what they’re saying is changing week, by week, by week and this will be used in the context of an election I’m told, to put up independents against Labour MPs they regard as not being sound on Gaza in order to split the Labour vote and let someone else in.
“You can say ‘yeah but this is all being a bit hyped up. People who say that Labour could lose control of around 30 constituencies up and down the country are overdoing it.’ And maybe they are. But remember that in a tight race, 30 constituencies is the difference between winning and losing.”
