Two Muslim Doctors Selected as Candidates for Tooting By-Election
London, 10 Ramadan 1437/15 June 2016 (MINA) – Local doctor Rosena Allin-Khan has been selected by Labour members in Tooting as the party’s candidate for by-election on June 16.
Sadiq Khan who stood down as the MP after being elected as Mayor of London, said that she “has the values, vision and experience to be a brilliant champion for Tooting.”
Dr Allin-Khan was born and raised in Tooting, and works as an A&E specialist in the local St George’s Hospital. She has also used her experience to work as international humanitarian aid worker, The Muslim News was quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.
Accepting the candidacy, she said: “I love Tooting. I was born and raised here, and there’s no place I would rather raise my children. This community gave my family everything, including a secure home to raise our family.
“It’s an honour to be selected as Labour’s candidate – continuing Sadiq Khan’s work standing up for everyone living across Balham, Earlsfield, Furzedown and Tooting.
“As an A&E specialist doctor at St George’s Hospital and as a mother of two young daughters, I know first-hand how important public services are to local families.
“With local health services under threat and the Tories pushing ahead with plans to take millions of pounds from our local school budgets, my priority will be to ensure our community gets the excellent local services families need and deserve.
“I will also use all my energy to tackle the Tory housing crisis that is pricing out local people from our area.
Tooting is a great place to live but too many people are working for long hours every day and still can’t afford to put money aside to save for a deposit. We need to make sure Tooting remains affordable for everyone who lives here.”
The newly elected London Mayor praised Allin-Khan saying: “Rosena has lived in the area all her life and has always been committed to helping and standing up for local people – whether working as an A&E doctor at St George’s or campaigning as a councillor on issues like protecting childcare services.
“I’m really looking forward to working with Rosena over the coming weeks to tackle the Tory housing crisis, protect key local services and secure the transport links people in Tooting rely upon every day. Rosena has the values, vision and experience to be a brilliant champion for Tooting.”
Dr Samadani also standing for Tooting
Allin-Khan is not the only Muslim doctor standing for Tooting. She is joined by Dr Zia Samadani, a doctor who does not support the recent junior doctor strikes.
Samadani is standing as an independent candidate and said she was also inspired by Sadiq Khan, although she is a former member of the Conservative Party.
Dr Samadani, 57, said: “He worked from the grassroots and then I came up which makes me think that I can do the same.”
“I was in the Conservatives for seven years, but I quit because they did not hold their promises.”
In her day job, Dr Samadani, who lives in Sutton, works as a regional advisor on drugs and medicines, but at the weekend she hosts a television show on Pakistani politics and another on education and lifestyle. (T/R07/R01)
Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)
