Iqbal Mohamed: meet Dewsbury and Batley's new MP campaigning for Gaza

Coming as a shock to many, Labour’s Heather Iqbal lost the seat by almost 7,000 votes, as dissatisfaction with the party’s stance on Gaza made Mr Mohamed one of five independent MPs who won seats.

An engineer and IT consultant who attended Durham University, is Dewsbury born and bred.

He said his local community had been neglected by both main parties for “decades and decades”.

After getting elected, he said his initial focus would be “fighting for a ceasefire and two-state peace agreement in Gaza, tackling the cost of living crisis, fighting to save the NHS and Dewsbury hospital, funding for all essential services, town regeneration, safer streets and environmental and consumer safety and protection”.

While elected as an independent, he was involved in a selection process run by two Kiklees community organisations.

After asking for applications, North Kirklees Community Action Group and Independent Kirklees shortlisted nine candidates before four were chosen for a hustings, which Mr Mohamed eventually won. 

Last month, he clubbed together with the four other independents including Jeremy Corbyn to form a parliamentary alliance.

He has made 11 spoken contributions in Parliament since being elected, incuding to call for an amendment to the Humble Address which would if successful have meant the Government immediately recognise the state of Palestine, and another warning state schools in his constituency were ‘bursting at the seams’ and may struggle to accommodate more pupils if the Government removes VAT relief on private schools.