Virendra Sharma MP, the much loved Indian-origin Labour politician from Ealing Southall region is facing a no-confidence vote from his local party. A vote of no confidence is seen as the first step in moving to a more formal deselection process. He is the seventh Labour MP to lose a no-confidence vote in the last 2 years, where some of his moderate ex-colleagues lost votes tabled by Left-wing in their local parties, therefore quit Labour to form The Independent Group.
The Hindu in a report wrote that those who triggered and supported the motion against Mr Sharma, have expressed a number of concerns about his ability to represent the local community, such as failure to attend local constituency Labour metings for last 21 months. A deeper concern was in relation to his stand on a number of political and international issues, such as his position on Kashmir and India-Pakistan bilateral relations, which they say endangered the basic political ethos of a diverse constituency.
The chairman of Ealing Southall CLP, Dr Onkar Sahota AM told The Evening Standard,“[The] vote represents a decision made by delegates across diverse groupings, and we fully respect our members’ democratic right to have voted no confidence.”
Speaking at the meeting Mr Sharma said, "My values are tireless Labour values, those of fairness and equality, of standing up for people and communities against big business, profit and successive Tory governments that come for the weak, the young and the old as easy targets. I did this through work for unions and as a day centre manager for Hillingdon Council, and now I do it in Parliament.
“In the 1970s this country convulsed in opposition to racism and intolerance. The TUC and Labour Party were at the heart of the movement to oppose it wherever it stood out. I stood alongside Michael Foot, Tony Benn and Jack Jones in believing that in a modern society there is no space for racism. I worked with them closely, organised marches, coordinated and spoke alongside them. Today’s racism is more subtle, better hidden, but old prejudices still linger. Southall is the most diverse area in the country, and should be represented by that diversity. The no-confidence motion in a first generation immigrant Member of Parliament by self-appointed anti-racist campaigners smacks of hypocrisy."
Speaking to Asian Voice he said,“I am proud to continue to serve Ealing Southall as their MP with a majority of more than 22,000 votes, the largest of any MP here in history. The vast majority of members continue to support me as do voters locally. This vote has taken place because I refuse to play local political games and have publicly criticised some Labour figures. The action today is motivated by religious and racial grounds, and those trying to split our local party do not represent our movement's vibrant history of anti-racist campaigning. I wont let them split our local party and will continue to represent everyone of all religions or none and all races in Ealing Southall. This vote does not change my commitment to our local community."
Ealing Southall has one of the largest South Asian diasporas in the UK with 29.7% of its population describing itself as of Asian background in the last census. It is also religiously diverse, with 16% Muslims, 9% Hindus, 8% Sikhs and 43% Christians.A major of the British Punjabi community live in the area.
A spokesperson from the constituency strongly denied the claims saying, it’s unbelievable that Mr Sharma said this motion was racially motivated as people of all backgrounds – from major faiths and no faith, spoke for the motion.
