Abtisam Mohamed becomes first Yemeni elected as British MP

Lawyer and former councillor promises to tackle inequality and to listen to those angered by Labour's stance on the Israel-Gaza war

Abtisam Mohamed and Labour colleagues and supporters celebrate her becoming MP for Sheffield Central. Photo: Louise Haigh / X

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The UK’s first MP of Yemeni origin has been elected in Sheffield, a northern English city.

Labour’s Abtisam Mohamed, a lawyer and former councillor, won more than 50 per cent of the vote in Sheffield Central, with the party now representing all six seats in the city.

The centre-left party won a massive majority in the 650-seat national parliament, as its leader Keir Starmer told voters that “change begins now”.

The election saw the Conservatives' worst performance in the party's history, after 14 years in government.

Many of Labour's candidates, like Ms Mohamed, had strong roots in the constituencies where they were standing, often having served on local councils.

Ms Mohamed came to the UK as a toddler from Yemen, with her father and grandfather working the city’s steel factories.

“I cannot believe that I am on this platform today, the daughter of a Yemeni working-class migrant,” she said in her acceptance speech.

“I’m driven by the belief that unfairness and inequality must always be challenged. We all have an obligation to fight for justice and the kind of world we want to live in."

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She vowed to use her platform “not to talk at people, but to listen to all people”, adding that Labour was a party of action rather than ideology.

She paid tribute to former MP Paul Blomfield, a veteran Labour politician who had held the seat since 2010, describing him as a friend and mentor.

She also spoke to constituents who had voiced concerns about Labour’s position on the Israel-Gaza war – many of whom chose not to vote for the party in protest.

Former British diplomat to South Yemen Dr Noel Brehony, who served as chairman of the British Yemeni society said: “Congratulations to Abtisam Mohamed on her election to Parliament and being the first MP of Yemeni descent to achieve this.

“She is an inspiring example of the contribution that people of Yemeni descent are making to enhancing the lives of all communities in Sheffield and in other cities where Yemenis have settled.”

Pro-Palestinian candidates scored several shock election wins as Britain's new Labour government suffered a startling loss of support in heavily Muslim areas.

“Throughout this campaign I have spoken to many people, and many felt that their voice in relation to what is going on in the Middle East and in Gaza was not being heard,” Ms Mohamed said.

Abtisam Mohamed is the new MP for Sheffield Central. Dominic Lipinski for The National

“To those people, let me reassure you that I hear you loud and clear. I will use my voice to advocate for peace, coexistence in the region, for an immediate ceasefire, for the release of hostages on all sides, for the recognition of Palestine.

“Those who are angry I will listen, and I will use your voice to ensure my voice will be heard. I once didn’t have a voice, I know how that feels."

Some Labour candidates had faced pressure to resign from the party from activists who were angered by Mr Starmer’s stance on Gaza.

Green Party candidate Angela Argenzio, who was endorsed by the pro-Palestinian campaign group The Muslim Vote, came second in the constituency, gaining 26 per cent of votes. This was a 15.1 per cent rise in vote share for her party.

Sheffield is twinned with the Palestinian city of Nablus, and was the first UK city to recognise Palestine in 2019.

Ms Mohamed’s family history in the steel factories drove her campaign, in which she called for better community services and a “just” green transition of Sheffield’s once-thriving industries.

“For those like my dad, a steelworker, in carbon-intensive industries, we need a just transition and upskilling to shift away from fossil fuels,” she said in a campaign statement.

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Her election is a source of great pride for Sheffield’s Yemeni community, who have lived in the city from the 1940s.

Many of them came from the British protectorate of Aden, and today they number about 10,000 in a city of 500,000.

Three generations on, the community is celebrating one of their own as a Labour MP for the city.

Labour MP Valerie Vaz, her brother Keith Vaz and former Conservative MP Flick Drummond are three UK politicians who were born in Yemen’s Aden, when it was under British protectorate.