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Uma Kumaran

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Uma Kumaran
MP
Official portrait, 2024
Member of Parliament
Incumbent
Assumed office
5 July 2024
ConstituencyStratford and Bow
Majority11,634 (26.8%)
Personal details
BornLondon, UK
Political partyLabour
Alma materQueen Mary University of London
Websitewww.umakumaran.co.uk

Uma Kumaran (Tamil: உமா குமரன்) is a British Labour politician serving as Member of Parliament (MP) for Stratford and Bow since July 2024. She made history as the first person of Tamil heritage elected to UK Parliament.[1]

Early life

[edit]

Kumaran was born in East London.[2]

Kumaran's parents came to London having fled riots during the Sri Lankan Civil War, and settled in East London in the 1980s, when Tamils fleeing the initial pogroms and violence were given amnesty in the UK. Kumaran has spoken often about her parents story of going from Tamil refugees to re-establishing and rebuilding a successful life in Britain.[3] Kumaran's parents were assisted with their immigration casework by a Labour Party MP.[4]

Kumaran's family now live in London, the United States, and Australia.[5] She has described growing up with the support of a close-knit Tamil community in Harrow, and spoken frequently about the influence of her parents experience on her own life and politics.

Kumaran's family later moved to Harrow where Kumaran was educated at Newton Farm Nursery, Infant and Junior School, Bentley Wood High School and St Dominic's Sixth Form College.[6][7]

She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in politics and a Master of Science degree in public policy from Queen Mary University of London.[4][8]

Kumaran's grandfather was one of Jaffna's first Trade Unionists.[9]

Early political career

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Kumaran worked for NHS Professionals for a year[7][10] before working as a Parliamentary Assistant and Caseworker for Labour MP Dawn Butler from 2009 until the 2010 General Election.[11][7][12]

Kumaran contested 2010 local elections in the London Borough of Harrow as one of the Labour Party candidates in the three-member Pinner South Ward, a safe Conservative ward.[13]

From September 2010, she worked for the Labour Group of Islington Council, when Catherine West was leader of the council.

She worked for the Labour Group on Islington Council from September 2010 to December 2014.[7][14] to represent Labour for the highly contested seat of Harrow East in the 2015 general election. [7][15]

During the 2015 general election campaign she and the Liberal Democrat candidate were attacked by Dharma Sewa Purvapaksha, an organisation founded by Conservative Party member Mukesh Naker, for their parties’ support in 2013 for legislation to outlaw caste discrimination.[16][17][18] At the election, Kumaran was defeated by Conservative incumbent Bob Blackman, who described the anti-discrimination legislation as "divisive and much hated".[18][19][20] Kumaran did not contest the 2017 general election, citing the impact on her family and friends as a result of what she described as "unashamedly religious divisive strategies" deployed by the Conservative campaign during the 2015 election in Harrow East.[21] Dharma Sewa Purvapaksha went on to deploy the same tactics in the 2017 and 2019 general elections, including under the auspices of Operation Dharmic Vote.[22][23][24]

Kumaran went on to work as Senior Campaign Adviser for Sadiq Khan in 2015, during his successful run to become Mayor of London.[8][21] He made history, becoming the first Muslim major, and first ethnic minority mayor.[25]

Kumaran worked as a political adviser at the Local Government association for two years (2015-2017) before serving at City Hall as Senior Adviser to the Mayor of London from 2017 to 2020.[8][26]

Kumaran was Deputy Director of Parliamentary Affairs for Labour leader Keir Starmer from 2020 to 2022 where she was a part of Starmer's Prime Minister's Questions and Shadow Cabinet Relations team.[8][27][28]

She was Director Diplomatic and International Relations for C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group from April 2022 to May 2024.  Kumaran worked with mayors and governors of over 100 cities, leading advocacy organisations, and the United Nations, to advocate for bolder action to tackle climate change. In this period, Kumaran was also an Advisory Board Member for the Labour Climate and Environment Forum.[8][29][30]

Throughout her career, Kumaran has volunteered extensively, first as a hospital radio DJ, and later as a mentor through Young Fabians and her alma mater, Queen Mary University.[31]

In May 2024 Kumaran was selected to be the Labour Party's candidate in the newly created constituency of Stratford and Bow.[32][33] At the election she was elected with a majority of 11,634.[34][35]

Parliamentary career

[edit]

Kumaran is the first MP for Stratford and Bow, formed for the 2024 General Election as part of the boundary review.

Kumaran was elected as a member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee in October 2024.[36]

She has been vocal about the impact of disinformation on the world and has spoken in defence of BBC world service.[37]

In December 2024, Kumaran was appointed by the Prime Minister to the United Kingdom delegation to the UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly.[38]

She has also sat on the Great British Energy Bill Committee and Employment Rights Bill Committee.[39][40]

She is currently Vice-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for International Conservation, the Vice-Chair of the APPG for Tamils, and Co-Chair of the Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic Parliamentary Labour Party.

She is the first London MP to be elected to serve on the APPG Waterways.[41]

Personal life

[edit]

Kumaran has spoken publicly about the impact of religiously divisive political campaigning on her family during her early career.[5]

Kumaran is married to political consultant Jacob Tilley.[42][43]

Electoral history

[edit]
Electoral history of Uma Kumaran
Election Constituency Party Votes Result
2010 local[44] Harrow - Pinner South Ward Labour Party 1,535 Not elected
2015 general[45][46] Harrow East Labour Party 19,911 Not elected
2024 general[34] Stratford and Bow Labour Party 19,145 Elected

References

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  1. ^ "British Tamil, Uma Kumaran elected to represent Stratford and Bow | Tamil Guardian". www.tamilguardian.com. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  2. ^ "Expecting to benefit from desire for change". The Jewish Chronicle. London, UK. Archived from the original on 2 June 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  3. ^ "Talk at the Cafe Spectator: Lankan-origin Britons enter election fray in UK". The Sunday Times. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 23 June 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  4. ^ a b "A Daughter Of Sri Lankan Tamil To Contest For Labour Party In Harrow East". Colombo Telegraph. 18 October 2013. Archived from the original on 28 May 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Interview with Uma Kumaran - British Tamil running to become UK Member of Parliament | Tamil Guardian". www.tamilguardian.com. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  6. ^ "About Labour: Labour people - Labour's Candidates - Harrow East, Uma Kumaran". London, UK: Labour Party. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015.
  7. ^ a b c d e Shammas, John (18 November 2013). "'We are a success story of multicultural Britain': Labour select Uma Kumaran as Harrow East 2015 candidate". MyLondon. London, UK. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d e Garfinkel, Imogen (19 June 2024). "Labour candidate Uma Kumaran on a Gaza ceasefire, the NHS and the Grenfell fire". London, UK: Roman Road London. Archived from the original on 20 June 2024. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  9. ^ "Interview with Uma Kumaran - British Tamil running to become UK Member of Parliament | Tamil Guardian". www.tamilguardian.com. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  10. ^ "Uma Kumaran - Candidate for Harrow East". London, UK: Labour Party. Archived from the original on 15 December 2014.
  11. ^ "Register of Interests of Members' Secretaries and Research Assistants (as at 12 April 2010)" (PDF). London, Uk: Parliament of the United Kingdom. p. 40. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 April 2010.
  12. ^ Shoffman, Marc (23 April 2015). "Countdown to Election Day! Meet the candidates: Harrow East". Jewish News. London, UK. Archived from the original on 31 May 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  13. ^ "Pinner South Ward — Harrow". Local Elections Archive Project. Archived from the original on 28 November 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  14. ^ Morgan, Ben (8 May 2015). "Harrow East election result: Tory Bob Blackman doubles majority to retain seat". Evening Standard. London, UK. Archived from the original on 25 March 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  15. ^ Thain, Bruce (18 November 2013). "Uma Kumaran selected as Labour's Harrow East candidate". Harrow Times. Watford, UK. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  16. ^ "Uma Kumaran: Political Personality". Asian Voice. 29 May 2017. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  17. ^ Hundal, Sunny (10 December 2019). "The campaigns trying to turn British Indians against each other". openDemocracy. London, UK. Archived from the original on 16 January 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  18. ^ a b Oliphant, Victoria (6 May 2015). "Labour candidate Uma Kumaran condemns Dharma Sewa Purvapaksha leaflet as 'gutter politics'". Harrow Times. Watford, UK. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  19. ^ "Election 2015: Bob Blackman fends off Labour challenge in Harrow East". The Jewish Chronicle. London, UK. Archived from the original on 4 March 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  20. ^ de Silva, Neville (11 May 2015). "UK election brings sweet music to Lankan ears". Daily FT. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  21. ^ a b Gallagher, Paul (21 April 2017). "Uma Kumaran: 'I can't stand – last time the Tories dragged the campaign into the gutter'". i. London, UK. Archived from the original on 2 June 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  22. ^ "Operation Dharmic Vote - The British General Election, the Dharmic Voter and the Law on Caste". hindupost.in. 27 May 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  23. ^ Katwala, Sunder (22 December 2019). "Sunder Katwala: The Conservatives, ethnic minority voters, and the election. Next to no progress". Conservative Home. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  24. ^ "The campaigns trying to turn British Indians against each other". openDemocracy. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  25. ^ Khaleeli, Homa (6 May 2016). "Sadiq Khan's victory won't end Islamophobia, but it offers hope". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  26. ^ "LGA Labour Group Annual Report 2018" (PDF). Local Government Association. London, UK: LGA Labour Group. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  27. ^ "2024 – General Election – Week 3". London, UK: JBP Associates. 11 June 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  28. ^ Hardman, Isabel (26 September 2021). "Keir Starmer's brains trust". The Spectator. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  29. ^ "Our Team". London, UK: C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023.
  30. ^ Harpin, Lee (20 May 2024). "Jewish Labour activist seeks to stand for Party in Corbyn's current seat". Jewish News. London, UK. Archived from the original on 20 May 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  31. ^ "Homecoming: the woman who wants to put Newham and turbulent Labour back on track". Newham Voices. 29 June 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  32. ^ Adu, Aletha; Mason, Rowena; Courea, Eleni (31 May 2024). "Diane Abbott free to stand for Labour in election, says Starmer". The Guardian. London, UK. Archived from the original on 9 June 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  33. ^ "East Ham, Stratford and Bow and West Ham and Beckton Parliamentary candidates chosen". London, UK: Newham Labour. 8 June 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  34. ^ a b "Election 2024: Stratford and Bow results". BBC News. London, UK. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  35. ^ "Uma Kumaran elected as MP for Stratford and Bow, Stephen Timms elected as MP for East Ham, and James Asser elected as MP for West Ham and Beckton". Newham, UK: Newham London Borough Council. Archived from the original on 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  36. ^ "Foreign Affairs Committee membership appointed - Committees - UK Parliament". committees.parliament.uk. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  37. ^ "Boost BBC World Service Funding To Help Ukraine Fight Russia, Says Labour MP". Politics Home. 3 December 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  38. ^ "Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament". questions-statements.parliament.uk. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  39. ^ "Great British Energy Bill - Membership - Committees - UK Parliament". committees.parliament.uk. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  40. ^ "Employment Rights Bill - Membership - Committees - UK Parliament". committees.parliament.uk. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  41. ^ "All Party Parliamentary Group (APPGW) for the Waterways". The Inland Waterways Association. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  42. ^ "New Labour MP asks for 'patience and understanding' after husband suffers stroke". The Independent. 10 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  43. ^ "The Wedding Gospel Choir - Reviews". Hire a Band. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  44. ^ "Election results for Pinner South: Borough Election - Thursday 6 May 2010". Harrow, UK: Harrow London Borough Council. 6 May 2010. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  45. ^ "Election results for Harrow East: Parliamentary Election - Thursday 7 May 2015". Harrow, UK: Harrow London Borough Council. 7 May 2015. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022.
  46. ^ "Election history: 2015 General Election - Harrow East". London, UK: Parliament of the United Kingdom. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
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