Election 2010: Black MPs Make Political History

A record number of black and minority ethnic (BME) candidates were elected to Parliament in the general election on the 6th May, greatly increasing the diversity of British politics; the overall number of MPs from BME backgrounds has almost doubled from 14 to 26, the greatest number and percentage increase ever seen in the UK.

The closest fought election in decades saw several historic firsts including Britain's first three female Muslim MPs – all Labour candidates – elected to the House of Commons.

Yasmin Qureshi easily won her seat in Bolton South East with a majority of more than 8,000 also becoming the first Pakistani female MP. Qureshi moved to the UK from Pakistan when she was nine and previously stood for the London Brent East constituency in 2005. In Bethnal Green and Bow, East London, Rushanara Ali unseated the Respect party with a huge majority of 11,574, in the process becoming the first MP of Bangladeshi origin.

Shabana Mahmood, one of the youngest MPs at 27, easily won her seat in Birmingham Ladywood – an area where the black vote was identified as being decisive. Mahmood increased the majority in Clare Short’s former constituency from under 7,000 votes to more than 10,000.

 Speaking last month, Mahmood stressed that her candidacy demonstrated that a role in Parliament is open to people of all ethnic backgrounds: "The image of the voiceless Muslim woman who cannot leave the house is just not true; they are interested in politics. Parliament is for the people – all of the people – and the ethnic minority population should claim it."

 The country has also voted in the first two Muslim MPs for the Conservative party - Sajid Javid retained Bromsgrove in the Midlands with an increased majority and Rehman Chishti won his seat in the newly-created Gillingham and Rainham in the South East.

In another milestone, Helen Grant is the first black woman to represent the Conservatives at Westminster, comfortably retaining what was considered a safe Tory seat at Maidstone and the Weald. Priti Patel became the first Asian female Conservative MP, winning Witham in Essex. Both Grant and Patel were part of Cameron’s ‘A-list’ initiative, designed to increase the number of minority Conservative MPs.

The total number of BME Labour MPs now stands at 15, up two from last year, and the Conservatives have 11, up nine, making 4% of MPs in the Commons from black and Asian backgrounds. The Liberal Democrats remain the only main party with no minority ethnic MPs.

Operation Black Vote (OBV) has been leading the campaign for BME communities to vote and get involved in the election process. OBV Director, Simon Woolley commented:

"A record voter turnout from the African, Asian and Caribbean electorate and a record number of candidates winning seats at Westminster will dramatically change how we see our governing class and how it operates. Greater representation and greater involvement from our communities will undoubtedly enhance our democracy."