TOP 10 - POLITICAL FIGURES 2021
ANUM QAISAR-JAVED MP
Qaisar-Javed was elected as the SNP MP for the Airdrie and Shotts constituency following a by-election in May 2021. The former teacher is Scotland’s second female Muslim MP and is a prominent campaigner for more diverse representation in Parliament.
Earlier this year, she made an impassioned speech about racist abuse on social media in the House of Commons and called for stronger action on the issue.
BELL RIBEIRO ADDY MP
The Member of Parliament for Streatham has been a lifelong campaigner on equality and social justice issues.
Before her election, Ribeiro-Addy worked for Labour MP Diane Abbott. From 2008 to 2010, she was the National Black Students’ Officer for the National Union of Students, national coordinator of the Student Assembly Against Racism, and the national convenor of the NUS’ Anti-Racism/Anti-Fascism campaign.
NADIA WHITTOME MP
At the age of 23, Whittome was elected the youngest MP in the House of Commons at the 2019 general election.
Following her election, Whittome, who is of Punjabi descent, said she would only be keeping the equivalent of “an average worker’s wage”, as determined by the Office for National Statistics, and would donate the remainder of her salary as an MP to local charities. She is a high profile campaigner on issues such as men’s violence against women and girls which she has described as an “epidemic”.
KIM JOHNSON MP
Johnson was elected as Liverpool’s first Black MP at the 2019 general election.
Before becoming an MP, she was a Unison shop steward and was heavily involved in engaging Liverpool’s black community in the city’s 2008 Capital of Culture celebrations. In 2020, she became a patron of Mandela8, a charitable organisation which works to preserve the legacy of Nelson Mandella and his outstanding achievements for humanity.
DAVID LAMMY MP
Johnson was elected as Liverpool’s first Black MP at the 2019 general election.
Before becoming an MP, she was a Unison shop steward and was heavily involved in engaging Liverpool’s black community in the city’s 2008 Capital of Culture celebrations. In 2020, she became a patron of Mandela8, a charitable organisation which works to preserve the legacy of Nelson Mandella and his outstanding achievements for humanity.
SADIQ KHAN
Khan has served as Mayor of London since 2016. He was comfortably re-elected to the role in May 2021. Born in Tooting, to a working-class British Pakistani family, Khan worked as a solicitor specialising in human rights issues before entering politics.
He has been included in the Time 100 list of most influential people in the world and established the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm following the 2020 George Floyd protests.
SAMUEL KASUMU
The former adviser on civil societies and communities to Boris Johnson resigned earlier this year amid a growing row over a report on racial disparities which concluded that the UK does not have a systemic problem with racism.
Kasumu was the only Black special adviser in Downing Street. He has served as a councillor in Welwyn Hatfield since 2018. He is a prominent campaigner on social justice issues particularly on matters affecting young people from disadvantaged communities.
KAUKAB STEWART MSP
Stewart made history in 2021 as one of the first women of colour elected to the Scoittish Parliament. She is also the first woman of Pakistani descent to serve as an elected member in the Scottish Parliament.
The former teacher has used her platform in the Scottish Parliament to campaign for better opportunities in education for young people. She is also a prominent campaigner on diversity and social justice issues.
TAIWO OWATEMI MP
Owantemi has been the Labour MP for Coventry North West since 2019. Prior to her election, she worked for the NHS and during the Covid-19 pandemic went back to work on the frontline to help in the battle against the virus.
In Parliament, she is the co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on knife crime which she is passionate about ending and sits on the health and Social Care Select Committee.
SARAH OWEN MP
Owen has served as the MP for Luton North since 2019. She is British Chinese, making her the first Labour MP of East Asian descent, and the first female MP of Chinese descent elected to the House of Commons.
Before her election, Owen worked as a political officer for the GMB trade union and served as a political adviser to Lord Alan Sugar and has worked on Labour’s national small business policy.