London: For the residents of East London, a microcosm of the UK’s rich diversity, July 4 was a regular day. Although some were too busy to vote, many of those who voted managed to do so after dropping children to school; during a lunch break, or very early in the morning.

From Redbridge to Waltham Forest, Newham to Barking and Dagenham, one sentiment was clear: a Labour government is coming. But despite the party’s controversial policy on Gaza and many pro-Palestinian voices’ strong criticism of Israel’s relentless bombardment, voters are deeply concerned about their economic hardships.

Though prominent Muslim Labour leaders in the past year have publicly challenged party leader Keir Starmer on his Gaza policy, calling for a ceasefire and an end to arms sales to Israel, the rise of independent candidates with pro-Palestine campaigns have attempted to lure disappointed Labour voters.

Still, despite expressing solidarity with the Palestinian cause, many British Pakistanis have similar concerns: how will they pay rising food and energy bills? Which party will lower taxes and give employees more spending power? Will NHS wait times improve under Labour?

Analyst says pro-Palestine independent candidates are targeting safe Labour constituencies

Ayesha Malik, a 34-year-old teacher, voiced a sentiment shared by many. “The cost of living is becoming unbearable. The next government has to address the skyrocketing food prices and provide relief on taxes.”

For Imran Qureshi, a 45-year-old small business owner, the focus was equally clear. “Lower taxes and curbing inflation are critical for me. Of course the [Conservative] government’s stance on Gaza and increasing Islamophobia worry me, but I am drowning under rising costs. I can barely make ends meet after paying rent.”

The anecdotes highlight a community grappling with the everyday challenges of rising costs and strained public services. Fatima A, a 28-year-old nurse, emphasised the urgency of addressing domestic concerns. “Everyday expenses are out of control. My current focus is on ensuring my children’s daycare costs are manageable.”

Last week, a video of a prominent imam Syed Muzammil Hussain Shah made the rounds on social media, in which he was seen endorsing a vote for Labour in Blackburn over a pro-Palestine independent. He said, “We are in the middle of a storm. We are working people. We have always been Labour and we are now. The independent candidate speaks well but he is alone.”

It is hardly surprising that many British Pakistani voters are worried about month-to-month expenses as they vote. Several studies show how ethnic minorities, especially Pakistanis, have serious disadvantages when it comes to economic outcomes.

One study highlights the “unexplained disparity” between the median hourly pay of ethnic minority workers and White British workers. This disparity is higher for ethnic minorities born outside of the UK but is nonetheless significant for ethnic minorities born in the UK.

The same study found that Indian graduates have higher median earnings than White graduates, and that Pakistani graduates have the lowest out of all ethnic groups analysed.

Post-pandemic studies also showed that ethnic minorities face high poverty rates in the UK, and that poverty rates were highest for people in households where the head of the household is from the Pakistani or Bangladeshi ethnic groups.

But even with these challenges, concern for Palestinians undergoing daily bombardment, starvation and denial of medical assistance resonates with both candidates and voters.

In June, former Labour candidate Faiza Shaheen was de-selected as Labour’s candidate for the target seat of Chingford and Woodford Green and later resigned from the party over what she said was her “being silenced over Gaza”.

Analyst Shehab Khan in an opinion piece summed the predicament for pro-Palestian voters who traditionally vote Labour up well.

“A number of independent candidates are standing on a Gaza platform targeting safe Labour constituencies. Seats in London, Birmingham, Luton and Bradford are all worth keeping an eye on as the results come in through the early hours of Friday morning.

Although the loss of a seat or two would mean very little to Labour if the polls are correct, it would serve as an interesting story about the state of the party’s relationship with the Muslim community, and about how politically active British Muslims are.”

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2024