Labour Party: Shahid becomes first British-born Muslim candidate

Shahid Malik won a singular distinction of his political career by becoming the first British-born parliamentary candidate of the ruling Labour Party, from Dewsbury for next general elections, by defeating his white rival Jamie Hanley.
Shahid Malik's victory as Labour parliamentary candidate after three-month long gruelling British selection process added another feather to his hat. I an McKenzie, former Chief Whip and who is special adviser to Deputy British Prime Minister John Prescott got the third position with 34 votes.
Malik won the candidature over the weekend with a comfortable majority of 21 and that too, without any support from the trade unions.
Malik polled 88 votes against 67 votes for Jamie Hanley from Leeds, who was supported by 5 trade unions and is a member of the regional board of the Yorkshire Labour Party.
Shahid rose to various coveted positions in Labour party through his talent, hard work and personal integrity.
He is the only Muslim or Asian on Labour's National Executive committee and sits with John Prescott and Tony Blair since his election to this prestigious body in 2000. He is also member of UK Chancellor of National Exchequer Gordon Brown's Economic Policy Commission.
Former Cabinet Minister and chief whip Anne Taylor MP currently holds the Dewsbury seat with a majority of 7,500.
The seat was one of the fiercest fought so far with an unprecedented 75 plus candidates fighting to become Dewsbury's prospective parliamentary candidate. The total Labour party membership eligible to vote in the selection was some 240 of whom 30 were of Indian or Pakistani origin.
Labour MP Mohammed Sarwar commenting on his selection said it was "brilliant news for all the people of Dewsbury and especially the Muslims because there is such great under-representation."
He said "it was the duty of all now to support Shahid and ensure he wins the seat at the next general election."
Lord Nazir Ahmed said "this is the best news we heard for a long time " Shahid is the most outstanding newcomer and someone who should have been an MP in 2001."
Malik "is a man of principle and integrity who has always spoken up when it would have been better for his career to stay quiet. We must ensure that he now succeeds and the people of Dewsbury will be honoured to have him as there MP inshallah."
Hanif Raja, Chairman of Pakistan Forum Scotland, who travelled from Glasgow to Dewsbury to support Shahid said, "It is a great honour to have somebody like Shahid selected.
In 2002 Shahid made a remarkable keynote speech at the Labour Party conference, with the all cabinet ministers present.
Raja said Malik spoke "passion and eloquence against war in Iraq and about double standards of the United Nation where Kashmir and Palestine were concerned. He will be a great asset to British parliamentary democracy."
Shahid Malik earlier had also served as the only British commissioner to the Northern Ireland Equality Commission following the "Good Friday" Peace Agreement and Vice-Chair of United Nations body Unesco UK.