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Apsana Begum

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Apsana Begum (born 25 May 1990) is a British politician who has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Poplar and Limehouse since 2019. Elected as a member of the Labour Party, Begum had the party whip withdrawn for six months on 23 July 2024 after she voted for an amendment to scrap the two-child benefit cap.[1]

Apsana Begum
MP
Official portrait, 2024
Member of Parliament
for Poplar and Limehouse
Incumbent
Assumed office
12 December 2019
Preceded byJim Fitzpatrick
Majority12,560 (29.2%)
Personal details
Born (1990-05-25) 25 May 1990 (age 34)
Shadwell, London, England
Political partyIndependent
Other political
affiliations
Spouse
Ehtashamul Haque
​
​
(m. 2013; div. 2015)​
Alma mater
WebsiteOfficial website

Begum is a member of the left-wing Socialist Campaign Group of MPs.[2] She is the UK's first MP to wear a hijab[3][4] and is a member of Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East.[5]

Early life and career

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Apsana Begum was born on 25 May 1990 in Shadwell, to Bangladeshi Muslim parents Manir Uddin Ahmed and Syeda Nazma Begum. She has five sisters and a brother.[6]

Begum graduated with a BA in politics from Queen Mary University of London in 2011,[7] and completed a postgraduate diploma in law and community leadership at SOAS University of London in 2012.[8]

From 2011 to 2013, she worked in the role of Executive Support and Admin for Tower Hamlets Council. She was a Workforce Diversity Project Officer for Tower Hamlets Homes from 2014 to 2015, and Equality and Diversity Officer for Queen Mary University of London from 2016 to 2018.[7]

Parliamentary career

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Begum was selected in October 2019 as the Labour candidate for Poplar and Limehouse at the 2019 general election. She was endorsed by the socialist group Momentum and nominated from an all-women shortlist.[9][10] In response to allegations that the ex-Mayor of Tower Hamlets Lutfur Rahman was behind her political career, Begum told Eastlondonlines "It is grossly insulting, as well as being rooted in racism and misogyny, to assume that I have no agency of my own and that I must be a 'proxy' or 'stooge' for a man I have not spoken to for six years".[11]

In November 2019, the British press reported that Begum had shared a social media post in 2017 that referred to Saudi Arabia's "Zionist masters".[12][13] In response, Apsana Begum unshared the post and said

“I didn’t make those comments and I shared the article because I was concerned with the treatment of pilgrims who were being harassed in the Mecca Grand Mosque. The original poster used words that were inappropriate, and I wouldn’t use them myself. I’m committed to fighting antisemitism both inside the Labour Party and in wider society.”[14]

At the 2019 general election, Begum was elected as MP for Poplar and Limehouse with 63.1% of the vote and a majority of 28,904.[15][16][17][18] Begum delivered her maiden speech in Parliament during a debate about International Women's Day, paying tribute to what she described as the "rich history of women's struggles for social justice" in East London.[19]

In January 2020, Begum told the Eastern Eye about being elected to Parliament that she has had to endure a series of racist, Islamophobic and misogynistic attacks and set out what she saw as the many barriers facing BAME women in public life.[20]

During an interview with Dazed in February 2020, she said "It has been quite horrendous...and it's been quite personalised in terms of attacks. Before being elected, you see other MPs go through that but you don't necessarily appreciate the impact it can have on someone as an individual."[21]

In April 2020, in an article published by Left Foot Forward, Begum raised concerns about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on low-income families and black, Asian and minority ethnic people. She said that the communities were at a greater risk due to the higher proportion of members who worked in the health sector.[22] On 12 May, Begum raised the issue again in Parliament, highlighting new data released by Tower Hamlets Council.[23]

Begum has opposed extradition of Julian Assange and in July sponsored a related motion in parliament.[24][25]

Begum commented in November 2020 that the Labour Party "has been in denial" about the problem of Islamophobia. She told ITV News: "It's quite regular to be asked questions and to constantly be asked to reaffirm my commitment towards British society as if in some way my identity and politics are not compatible."[26] The same month, Begum tabled an Early Day Motion in Parliament[27] highlighting a surge in racist attacks and Islamophobia in Britain and abroad,[28] and wrote about her experiences "as someone who has first-hand experience of the rise in Islamophobia over the past decades" saying that "I know that every single day people of Muslim backgrounds like me face discrimination and prejudice."[29]

On 24 February 2022, following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Begum was one of 11 Labour MPs threatened with loss of the party whip for signing a statement by the Stop the War Coalition which questioned the legitimacy of NATO and accused NATO of "eastward expansion". All 11 then removed their signatures.[30]

On 7 October 2023, Begum posed with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign at their stand at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool. As the PSC had planned to protest outside the Israeli embassy following the start of the 2023 Gaza-Israel conflict the previous day, Begum attracted criticism from the media and faced calls for suspension from the party whip. The PSC later removed the photo from its Twitter account.[31][32][33]

At the 2024 general election, Begum was re-elected to Parliament as MP for Poplar and Limehouse with a decreased vote share, although still achieving a substantial 43.1%, and a majority of 12,560.[34]

On 23 July 2024, Begum confirmed that she had had the Labour Party whip withdrawn and was suspended from the party due to voting for a SNP amendment on the King's Speech to end the two child benefit cap.[35] Begum said that she felt bullied by Labour's whips, and that a whip stated that anti-domestic violence legislation tabled by Begum would only be supported if she did not vote for the SNP amendment.[36][37][38] A Labour Party spokesman responded by saying the party did not recognise these claims.[36][37]

Personal life

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Begum married Ehtashamul Haque, then a member of Tower Hamlets Council, in 2013. They were divorced in 2015.[39][40][41][42][43] In January 2020, Begum wrote in a tweet that she had suffered from domestic abuse.[44] She went on to become chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Domestic Violence and Abuse.[45]

In 2020, Begum was charged with three counts of fraud dating between 18 January 2013 and 31 March 2016, relating to the charge that she had dishonestly failed to disclose information in applying for and securing social housing.[46] She said that she would "vigorously contest" the charges.[47] At the trial, the prosecution presented evidence that she had applied for council properties during her marriage to Haque, which she said he did without her knowledge.[48] Begum's barrister presented evidence about the pattern of the applications which, she argued, suggested that two different people were applying.[49] Begum argued that she was a victim of domestic abuse, coercive control and financial abuse[42] and, on 30 July 2021, was found not guilty on all three counts.[50]

References

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  1. ^ "Labour suspends seven rebels who voted to scrap two-child benefit cap | Labour | The Guardian". amp.theguardian.com.
  2. ^ Obese-Jecty, Ben (2 August 2022). "Starmer's position is becoming untenable". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  3. ^ "The UK has elected its first hijab-wearing Member of Parliament, Apsana Begum – TMV". 1 December 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  4. ^ The Data Journalism Team (1 December 2019). "Election 2019: Six charts on Britain's most diverse Parliament". BBC News. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  5. ^ "Parliamentary Supporters". LFPME. 1 January 1970. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  6. ^ "#ELLGE19 Election Preview: Poplar and Limehouse – 'I'm voting Labour – never Tory in Tower Hamlets'". Eastlondonlines. 9 December 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  7. ^ a b "Begum, Apsana, (born 25 May 1990), MP (Lab) Poplar and Limehouse, since 2019". WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. 2020. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u293982. ISBN 978-0-19-954088-4. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  8. ^ "Begum, Apsana, (born 25 May 1990), MP (Lab) Poplar and Limehouse, since 2019." WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. 1 Dec. 2020
  9. ^ Brooke, Mike (28 October 2019). "Police called in amid chaos as Labour selects Lutfur Rahman's election candidate for Poplar & Limehouse". East London Advertiser. Archived from the original on 5 November 2019. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  10. ^ Tower Hamlets Momentum [@THMomentum] (17 September 2019). "Based on her campaigning work, and commitment to a genuinely socialist government, Tower Hamlets Momentum strongly supports Apsana Begum as the candidate for the Poplar & Limehouse constituency. #Apsana4PL https://t.co/K1f0yHIBdh" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021 – via Twitter.
  11. ^ "#ELLGE19: Labour candidate brands Tory attacks 'racist and sexist'". Eastlondonlines. 18 November 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  12. ^ "Antisemitism and Labour: everything you need to know". The Guardian. 26 November 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  13. ^ "Controversial candidates". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  14. ^ "New London Labour official shared "Zionist masters" post". The Red Roar. 3 March 2019. Archived from the original on 18 October 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  15. ^ "Poplar & Limehouse parliamentary constituency – Election 2019". BBC News. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  16. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated" (PDF). Tower Hamlets council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 November 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  17. ^ "Declaration of Result of Poll" (PDF). Tower Hamlets council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 December 2019. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  18. ^ "Commons Briefing Paper 8749. General Election 2019: results and analysis" (PDF). London: House of Commons Library. 28 January 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  19. ^ Long, Matilda (5 March 2020). "Labour MP becomes the first hijab-wearing woman to make a speech in the House of Commons". Yahoo! Finance. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  20. ^ Codling, Lauren (2 January 2020). "Electing more BAME politicians will help in fighting race bias, say MPs". EasternEye. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  21. ^ "'We have big voices': young female politicians on fighting sexist bullying". Dazed. 18 February 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  22. ^ "Apsana Begum: The virus does discriminate". Left Foot Forward. 9 April 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  23. ^ Boyle, Cash (12 May 2020). "Leading Tower Hamlets figures react to findings which lay bare the impact of coronavirus on BAME community". East London Advertiser. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  24. ^ Scripps, Thomas (18 July 2020). "UK MPs submit early day motion on Assange". World Socialist Web Site. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  25. ^ Begum, Apsana [@ApsanaBegumMP] (4 January 2021). "Julian Assange is an international award-winning journalist. He exposed US war crimes in Iraq & Afghanistan, yet he is the one in maximum security prison. Today we find out if extradition attempts are successful. For press freedom & our civil liberties, he should be released" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 1 July 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021 – via Twitter.
  26. ^ "Over one in three Muslims report seeing Islamophobia in Labour Party". The Independent. 13 November 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  27. ^ "Global Islamophobia - Early Day Motions - UK Parliament". edm.parliament.uk. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  28. ^ "Labour's Apsana Begum warns Westminster's policies are contributing to rise in Islamophobia". Morning Star. 27 November 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  29. ^ "It's Time to Turn Back the Rising Tide of Islamophobia". tribunemag.co.uk. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  30. ^ Wearmouth, Rachel (24 February 2022). "11 Labour MPs threatened with suspension for signing Stop The War letter attacking NATO". Mirror. Retrieved 24 February 2022. The party's chief whip Sir Alan Campbell contacted the 11 MPs warning them they faced losing the party whip if they do not back down. ... It is understood all 11 later asked for their signatures to be removed as a result.
  31. ^ "Labour calls for police to investigate UK Hamas supporters – as own MP poses with Palestinian activists". The Independent. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  32. ^ Martin, Daniel; Penna, Dominic (8 October 2023). "Keir Starmer refuses to suspend Labour MP who backed Palestine campaign group". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 8 October 2023.(subscription required)
  33. ^ Martin, Daniel (9 October 2023). "You must believe Hamas are terrorists to be in Labour, says Rachel Reeves". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  34. ^ "Poplar and Limehouse - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  35. ^ "King's Speech (Motion for an Address): Amendment (d)". votes.parliament.uk. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  36. ^ a b Kelly, Kieran (24 July 2024). "Rebel MP who was suspended by Labour over two-child benefit cap vote claims she was 'bullied' by party whips". LBC. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  37. ^ a b Maidment, Jack; Gibbons, Amy; Sigsworth, Tim (24 July 2024). "Politics latest news: More under 30s voted for Reform than Conservative". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  38. ^ @SkyNews (24 July 2024). "'I'm shocked by the way I was treated.' Labour MP @ApsanaBegumMP discusses the suspension of seven Labour MPs after the two-child benefit cap vote and how she and her colleagues felt about the handling of the situation" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  39. ^ Golds, Peter (1 November 2019). "Peter Golds: Once again, Tower Hamlets is in the news for chaos and corruption". ConservativeHome. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  40. ^ Stevenson, Nicholas (2 August 2021). "Apsana Begum trial: Another revolting attack by Labour's right wing". Socialist Appeal (UK, 1992). Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  41. ^ "Tower Hamlets Council - Councillor Details - Councillor Ehtasham Haque". Tower Hamlets Council. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  42. ^ a b Kale, Sirin (23 August 2021). "'It felt like political persecution'". The Guardian.
  43. ^ Brooke, Mike (5 December 2019). "'I needed housing' Labour's Apsana Begum tells Poplar & Limehouse election hustings after 'queue jump' claim". East London Advertiser. Archived from the original on 6 December 2019. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  44. ^ Begum, Apsana [@ApsanaBegumMP] (22 January 2020). "Domestic abuse, violence & harassment are serious crimes. Please don't suffer and delay reporting if you witness or experience it. I was silent & I have suffered. There are many agencies that can support you such as @womensaid Don't suffer in silence" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 5 July 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021 – via Twitter.
  45. ^ Register Of All-Party Parliamentary Groups. Domestic Violence and Abuse (Report). United Kingdom. Parliament. House of Commons. 2 June 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  46. ^ Kirk, Tristan (29 October 2020). "Labour MP Apsana Begum vows to 'vigorously' fight housing fraud charges after £300k council flat claim". Evening Standard. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  47. ^ "Labour MP Apsana Begum charged with housing fraud". The Guardian. 29 October 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  48. ^ "Apsana Begum: Labour MP cleared of fraudulent housing claims". BBC News. 30 July 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  49. ^ Berry, Franki (22 July 2021). "Apsana Begum's ex-husband may be behind housing bids, trial hears". East London Advertiser. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  50. ^ "Labour MP Apsana Begum weeps in dock after being cleared of fraud charges". The Independent. 30 July 2021.
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