Indian-Origin MPs Shine in UK Election Amid Tory Woes

A record 26 Indian-origin MPs have been elected to the UK's House of Commons amid an electoral landslide for the Labour Party. Outgoing PM Rishi Sunak and other prominent British Indian Tories managed to retain their seats despite major losses for the party overall.

A record-breaking 26 Indian-origin members of Parliament have been elected to the House of Commons in the UK's recent general election, coming into the spotlight as results were unveiled on Friday. Despite substantial losses for the Conservative Party, several Indian-origin Tories succeeded in retaining their seats.

Outgoing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spearheaded the Conservative charge among British Indians, securing a significant victory in his Richmond and Northallerton constituency in Yorkshire. This triumph provided Sunak fleeting solace amidst the party's hemorrhaging of over 200 seats due to the Labour Party's sweeping success.

In a statement directed toward dismissing pre-election speculation about his political future, Sunak expressed, "On this challenging night, I would like to thank the people of the Richmond and Northallerton constituency for your unwavering support. You have made me and my family feel at home since we moved here a decade ago, and I look forward to serving you for many years."

Among the other notable Tories retaining their seats were former Home Secretaries Suella Braverman and Priti Patel. Sunak's Goan-origin Cabinet colleague, Claire Coutinho, also achieved victory. Additionally, Gagan Mohindra held onto his South West Hertfordshire seat, and Shivani Raja registered a win for the Conservatives in Leicester East, besting fellow Indian-origin Labour candidate Rajesh Agrawal. Their campaigns notably focused on preserving the city's iconic Diwali lights amidst potential budget cuts.

However, the Tory losses were significant, including Shailesh Vara losing his North West Cambridgeshire seat and Ameet Jogia suffering defeat in London's Hendon seat, both to Labour candidates.

The Labour Party, reflecting their overall electoral success, saw the highest number of Indian diaspora wins. Veterans like Seema Malhotra held Feltham and Heston with ease. Goan-origin Valerie Vaz, sister of Keith Vaz, secured Walsall and Bloxwich, while Lisa Nandy claimed Wigan convincingly.

British Sikh MPs Preet Kaur Gill and Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi also retained their seats for Labour in Birmingham Edgbaston and Slough, respectively. Other re-elected MPs included Navendu Mishra (Stockport) and Nadia Whittome (Nottingham East).

The newcomers added a robust Indian presence for Labour, featuring winners such as Jas Athwal (Ilford South), Baggy Shanker (Derby South), Satvir Kaur (Southampton Test), and others, marking a significant impact for Labour.

For the Liberal Democrats, Munira Wilson regained her Twickenham seat as the party gained over 60 seats. In a notable contest for Labour, suspended former leader Jeremy Corbyn ran as an Independent in Islington North, defeating his British Indian Labour challenger Praful Nargund.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)