The election will likely see a change in government for the first time in 14 years. Have your say and vote. Labour is likely to win a landslide majority.

The main issues dominating the 4 July 2024 UK general election are the economy, immigration, housing, health & NHS, and climate change. These issues, among others, will define the electoral contest between Rishi Sunak's Conservatives and Keir Starmer's Labour Party.

The main issues dominating the Muslim and Bengali communities in the UK are concerns over the Palestine and Gaza situation. Recently, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer made comments about the Bangladeshi community in the UK, which have sparked a divisive response within the community.

One section of the British Bangladeshi community, comprising Labour members, friends, and supporters, has rallied behind their leader, expressing support and solidarity. Conversely, another faction, including several leaders and organisations, has condemned Starmer's remarks. This group has publicly urged him to apologise, reflecting the broader tensions and divisions within the community in the lead-up to the election.

On the other hand, 34 candidates are standing for the Member of Parliament elections. Among these, eight candidates are from the Labour Party, two from the Conservative Party, one from the SNP, and one from the Liberal Democrats. The remaining candidates are running as independents and from other parties.

There are eight MP candidates from the Labour Party; previously, four were elected: Rushanara Ali (Labour, Bethnal Green & Stepney), Apsana Begum (Labour, Poplar & Limehouse), Tulip Rizwana Siddiq (Labour, Hampstead and Highgate), and Dr. Rupa Asha Huq (Labour, Ealing Central and Acton). As we are expecting a landslide majority for Labour, I hope that the number of Bengali MPs increases to at least six. We are hopeful that if the Labour Party forms the government and our Bengali candidates win their respective seats, we will see at least Rushanara and Tulip in ministerial positions in the new cabinet. Let’s wait and see over the next 48 hours.

At the same time, everyone's eyes are on the Bethnal Green & Bow parliamentary seat, where Rushanara Ali had a majority of 37,529, and turnout was 69.6%. There are two other main candidates who are trying to challenge Rushanara Ali: Ajmal Masroor (Independent) and Rabina Khan (Liberal Democrat). There are a few other candidates who are trying to win the seat as well. But the main fight is going to be between Rushanara and Ajmal. The fight is expected to be very close in the opinion of many, with Ajmal Masroor needing to turn the 37,000 majority in his favor. Every Bengali's eyes are on the Bethnal Green & Stepney constituency, where predictions are that the other three Bengali candidates—Tulip, Rupa, and Apsana—will win their seats with ease. Let's vote wisely.

I have summarised the main pledges of the three main parties below. Please read carefully and vote wisely for your local candidates. Please remember to take your ID card with you when you go to the polling station.

Labour said:

"Under the Tories, public services are crumbling, ambulances don’t come, families are weighed down by higher mortgage rates, and anti-social behaviour blights our high streets. Five more years of the Tories in Downing Street will only lead to more political chaos. They aren’t the answer to the problems we face."

Labour Party’s most eye-catching pledges:

1. 'Wealth creation' for working people

2. Plans to raise £8bn - but no surprises

3. Private school fees tax to pay for state school teachers

4. Building 300,000 homes a year

5. A 2030 ban on petrol and diesel car sales

6. A new Border and Security Command for the UK

7. £24bn for green initiatives

8. An 'absolute' commitment to nuclear and NATO

9. 40,000 more NHS appointments and operations

10. 'Home-first' care

11. Plan to reduce the backlog of rape cases

12. Tackling ticket touts

Conservative Party’s main 12 pledges:

Here are some of the most eye-catching pledges from the Tory Party:

1. The return of Help to Buy

2. Tax help for the self-employed

3. Tougher sentences and new prisons

4. Regular flights to Rwanda

5. Increased defence spending

6. An end to 'low-quality' degrees

7. Net zero without new green charges

8. Cuts to welfare and civil service numbers

9. Three strikes warning for anti-social tenants

10. New dentists tied to NHS

11. A cap on social care costs

12. A legal limit to migration

Liberal Democrat said:

They will invest in improving public health, expanding early access to health services, and fixing social care. They will give every child the support they need with more specialist teachers, free school meals for all children in poverty, and a dedicated mental health professional in every school.

The Liberal Democrats’ most eye-catching promises:

1. Free personal care in England

2. More GPs and faster cancer treatment

3. Increase public spending

4. Scrap the Rwanda scheme

5. Reach net zero by 2045

6. Scrap the two-child limit and reform Carer’s Allowance

7. Triple the early years pupil premium

8. Speed up the courts process

9. Recognize non-binary identities and ban conversion therapy

10. Give 16-year-olds the vote and bring in proportional representation

11. Rejoin the Single Market

34 British Bangladeshi MP Candidates:

1. Rushanara Ali (Labour, Bethnal Green & Stepney)

2. Apsana Begum (Labour, Poplar & Limehouse)

3. Tulip Rizwana Siddiq (Labour, Hampstead and Highgate)

4. Dr. Rupa Asha Huq (Labour, Ealing Central and Acton)

5. Nurul Hoque Ali (Labour, Gordon and Buchan)

6. Rumi Chowdhury (Labour, Witham)

7. Rufia Ashraf (Labour, South Northamptonshire)

8. Attic Rahman (Conservative, Tottenham)

9. Syed Shamim Ahsan (Syduzzaman Syed), (Conservative, Ilford South)

10. Naz Anis-Miah (Scottish National Party (SNP), Dunfermline and Dollar)

11. Rabina Khan (Liberal Democrats, Bethnal Green & Bow)

12. Ajmal Masroor (Independent, Bethnal Green & Bow)

13. Sham Uddin (Independent, Bethnal Green & Bow)

14. Ehtashamul Haque (Independent, Poplar & Limehouse)

15. Wais Islam (Independent, Holborn and St Pancras)

16. Barrister Omar Faruk (Independent, Stratford and New Town)

17. Syed Siddiqi (Green Party, Ilford South)

18. Noor Jahan Begum (Independent, Ilford South)

19. Golam Tipu (Workers Party, Ilford South)

20. Mohammed Shahed Hussain (Workers Party, Hackney South & Shoreditch)

21. Raj Farhad (Reform Party, Ilford South)

22. Najmul Hussian (Labour, Brigg and Immingham)

23. Prince Sadiq Chaudury (Workers Party, Bedford)

24. Md Somon Ahmed (Independent, Bethnal Green & Bow)

25. Raja Miah (Independent, Oldham West and Royton)

26. Nizam Ali (Independent, Stratford and New Town)

27. Halima Khan (Workers Party, Stratford and New Town)

28. Abul Kalam Azad (Independent, Bexhill and Battle)

29. Faisal Kabir (Workers Party, Altrincham and Sale West)

30. Syed Samsuzzaman (Shams) (Green Party, Oldham West and Royton)

31. Mohammed Bilal (Workers Party, Manchester Rusholme)

32. Habib Rahman (Independent, Newcastle Central)

33. Momtaz Khanom (Socialist, Folkestone and Hythe)

34. Sharmen Rahman (Green Party, Leicester South)

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Author: Nobab Uddin
Senior employee at Leading Housing Association in UK
Chair, EastHands International Charity
Former Editor, Janomot Newsweekly
Founder member and Former President, London Bangla Press Club
3 July 2024.

The opinion of the columnist is solely his own.