Close X
Thursday, December 19, 2024
ADVT 
International

Britain's First Woman Sikh MP Preet Kaur Gill Appointed Shadow Minister

IANS, 15 Jan, 2018 10:38 AM

    Preet Kaur Gill, Britain’s first woman Sikh MP, has been elevated to the Shadow Cabinet by the Opposition Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn. The Shadow Cabinet is a team of senior parliamentarians chosen by the Opposition leader to mirror the Cabinet in government.

     

    Each member is appointed to lead on a specific policy area and to question the counterpart in the Cabinet. In this way, the Opposition seeks to present itself as an alternative government-in-waiting.

     

    Gill, 44, won her Birmingham Edgbaston seat for the Labour in the June 8 snap polls last year. In July, she was elected to the Home Affairs Select Committee. She was promoted shadow minister for international development in Corbyn’s New Year reshuffle.

     
     

    “We had no Sikh MPs prior to this election. Sikhs had no representation and we had no female Sikh representation. Parliament must reflect the people it serves,” Gill had said at the time of her election.

     
     

    Since then, she has had a busy tenure, being elected to the influential Home Affairs Select Committee – the cross-party parliamentary panel that examines the workings of the UK Home Office. Gill is also the chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for British Sikhs.

     

    Her appointment was announced alongside that of Clive Lewis as shadow treasury minister. Lewis had resigned as shadow business minister in February last year over wanting a vote against the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill and was one of the 52 rebel MPs to defy Labour Party orders to back the Bill in a Parliament vote. Accused in a sexual harassment scandal, he was cleared of wrongdoing by the party late last year.

     

    Others who moved up to the frontbenches of the Opposition include Jack Dromey as shadow minister for pensions and Karen Lee as shadow minister for fire.

     

    “Pleased to make appointments to strengthen Labour’s frontbench which is a government-in-waiting. I look forward to working with them holding the Tories to account, preparing to form a government for the many, not the few,” Corbyn said.

    MORE International ARTICLES

    NGO Raises $2 Million In Us For Rural Schools In India

    NGO Raises $2 Million In Us For Rural Schools In India
    An NGO known for its innovative single teacher schools in remote rural and tribal areas of India has raised $2 million during a fund-raising event in New York, the foundation said on Thursday.

    NGO Raises $2 Million In Us For Rural Schools In India

    UK Landlord Loses Legal Action To Ban Curry-Cooking Indian Tenants

    UK Landlord Loses Legal Action To Ban Curry-Cooking Indian Tenants
    A UK court has held as unlawful a British landlord’s ban on “coloured” people from India and Pakistan renting his properties because they cooked curry and left behind lingering smells.

    UK Landlord Loses Legal Action To Ban Curry-Cooking Indian Tenants

    Indian-Origin Teen Gurtej Singh Randhawa Convicted Of Trying To Buy Car Bomb In UK

    Indian-Origin Teen Gurtej Singh Randhawa Convicted Of Trying To Buy Car Bomb In UK
    An Indian-origin teenager in the UK has been convicted of trying to buy explosives online with intent to endanger life or cause serious injury.

    Indian-Origin Teen Gurtej Singh Randhawa Convicted Of Trying To Buy Car Bomb In UK

    'All Good Intentions:' Tim Hortons Poppy Doughnut Causes Social Media Stir

    'All Good Intentions:' Tim Hortons Poppy Doughnut Causes Social Media Stir
    John Rathwell says it seems good intentions were behind the gesture and it was admirable an employee at the restaurant would take the initiative.

    'All Good Intentions:' Tim Hortons Poppy Doughnut Causes Social Media Stir

    Young Vancouver Climber Liz Rose Joins Elite Group In Completing Global Mountain Trek

    Young Vancouver Climber Liz Rose Joins Elite Group In Completing Global Mountain Trek
    North Vancouver's Liz Rose reached the summit of Mount Kosciuszko in New South Wales in Australia this week, marking her successful completion of the Seven Summits. Only about 400 climbers around the globe have completed the feat.

    Young Vancouver Climber Liz Rose Joins Elite Group In Completing Global Mountain Trek

    Indian-Origin UK Minister Priti Patel Resigns Over Israel Meetings Row

    Indian-origin International Development Secretary of UK Priti Patel, has resigned amid controversy over her unauthorised meetings with Israeli officials, media reports said.

    Indian-Origin UK Minister Priti Patel Resigns Over Israel Meetings Row