The United Kingdom’s newly-elected Parliament is set to be the most diverse in the nation’s history, with a notable increase in representation from ethnic minority backgrounds and women.
Among the elected members are 15 British-Pakistani MPs, reflecting the growing diversity in UK politics. The Labour Party has made substantial gains in this regard, with candidates Afzal Khan, Imran Hussain, Naz Shah, Yasmin Qureshi, Muhammad Yasin, Tahir Ali, Shabana Mahmood, Zarah Sultana, Dr Zubir Ahmed, Naushabah Khan, and Dr Rosena Allin-Khan all securing victories in their respective constituencies.
The Conservative Party also contributed to this diversity with the election of Saqib Bhatti and Nusrat Ghani, while independent candidates Ayoub Khan and Adnan Hussain also won seats.
According to a Reuters report, Black, Asian, and ethnic minority lawmakers will now represent approximately 13% of the House of Commons, up from 10% in the 2019 election. This marks the highest-ever share of ethnic minority members in the lower house, based on an analysis by the think tank British Future.
Despite this progress, the level of ethnic minority representation still falls short of fully reflecting the diversity of England and Wales, where around 18% of the population comes from Black, Asian, mixed, or other ethnic minority backgrounds.
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British Future director Sunder Katwala commented on the significance of the election results, stating, “The 2024 election is a landmark for representation, with record diversity in our parliament, closer than ever to that of the electorate.” He also noted the irony of this milestone coinciding with the end of Rishi Sunak’s tenure as the UK’s first British Asian Prime Minister.
The incoming Parliament will also see a record number of female lawmakers, with 242 women elected – an increase of 22 compared to the 2019 election.
