Preet Kaur Gill: Britain gets its First Sikh Woman MP

Britain on June 8 elected its first female Sikh MP in its mid-term snap elections.

Preet Kaur Gill won the Birmingham Edgbaston seat as the Labour Party candidate, defeating ruling Conservative Party’s Caroline Squire by 6917 votes.

#UKElections: Preet Kaur Gill Becomes First #Sikh Lady To Win A Parliament Seat https://t.co/5pMsMcAHst pic.twitter.com/fT6g7Eugx9

— Outlook Magazine (@Outlookindia) June 9, 2017

Gill, the councillor from Sandwell, will be the first Sikh woman in the UK House of Commons.

Indian- origin contestant, Gill was born and brought up in Edgbaston and has also served as a board member of the Sikh network, which is an open collective of the Sikh community in the UK which includes every Sikh activists and professionals of all backgrounds.

According to 44-year-old Gill, the Sikh community has been instrumental in building up her political profile in the last two years. At present, Gill is the cabinet member for Public Health and Protection in Sandwell.

Preet in the election win replaced her colleague Gisela Stuart, who was the sitting MP in Birmingham Edgbaston. She was selected by the Labour national executive committee in an interview which was held on April 28.

The Sikh community in Britain is the fourth largest faith group.

Preet is expected focus on issues related to the Sikh community in particular.  The Sikh Federation of the UK were her most prominent backers during the elections.

Preet was also Vice Chair of the West Midlands Race and equality advisory board and actively campaigns on local and national matters, particularly human rights issues.

“I am delighted I have been given the opportunity to become the next MP for Edgbaston where I was born and raised. I want to engage with the people of Edgbaston and with hard work, passion and determination I think we can achieve great things together,” she had said then, according to PTI report.

On June 8, the United Kingdom had gone for the polls after Prime Minister Theresa May suddenly called for snap election seven weeks ago to increase the slim majority which she had inherited from her predecessor David Cameron.

The UK elections today ended in a hung parliament after Ms May lost her parliamentary majority. The conservative party would remain in office until it is decided who will form the new government.

Pic Credit: The Huffington Post India

Also Read:9 Things Theresa May Revealed About Her Personal Life

 Kavya is an intern with SheThePeople.TV