The UK general election saw Labour face setbacks despite a landslide win, as several pro-Palestinian independent candidates gained seats, reflecting voter discontent with Labour’s stance on Israel’s actions in Gaza.
In Leicester South, Labour’s Jonathan Ashworth lost to Shockat Adam, an independent candidate who emphasized support for Gaza, contributing to questions about Labour’s foreign policy and a dent in its overall majority.
In a surprising turn, Shockat Adam emphasized Gaza in his victory speech after defeating Labour’s Jonathan Ashworth, who previously held a strong majority in Leicester South.
Ashworth’s loss contrasts sharply with his previous electoral success, even during Labour’s challenging 2019 election. Meanwhile, Jeremy Corbyn retained his long-held seat in Islington North but as an independent, not for Labour.
Corbyn, former Labour leader, faced expulsion following findings of unlawful conduct within the party during his leadership, particularly concerning allegations of antisemitism.
Here’s a summary of the recent election results:
1. Islington North: Corbyn won with 49.2% of the vote. He emphasized voters seeking a peaceful government stance on global issues like Gaza.
2. Blackburn: Labour’s Kate Hollern, who had a significant majority in 2019, narrowly lost to independent candidate Adnan Hussain by 132 votes.
3. Dewsbury and Batley: Independent candidate Iqbal Mohamed defeated Labour incumbent Heather Iqbal.
4. Birmingham Perry Barr: Independent Ayoub Khan won over Labour incumbent Khalid Mahmood by 507 votes.
These results show significant shifts and close contests in these constituencies.
In Chingford and Woodford Green:
– Conservative incumbent Iain Duncan Smith retained his seat by approximately 5,000 votes.
– The left-wing vote was split between Labour and independent candidate Faiza Shaheen.
– Faiza Shaheen ran as an independent after being removed by Labour during the campaign, contributing to the split in the left-wing vote.
This outcome underscores the impact of divided left-wing support in the constituency, affecting the election results in favor of the Conservative incumbent.
“Our vote was a combination of those appalled by how I was treated, those who took issue with having an imposed candidate who didn’t know us, those who were never going to vote Labour after Starmer’s stance on Gaza, and those that have never voted before,” Shaheen wrote on X after the result. “Labour split the vote the moment they deselected me.”
