The following was posted yesterday by the Sikh Federation (UK) on http://www.sikhsangat.com. The Federation appear to be equally shocked on no turban wearing Sikh or women in the short list. This would have been the way forward to let local Labour Party members decide.

The Sikh Federation (UK) was aware that a certain element within the Labour Party and locally may look to exclude turbaned wearing Sikhs. With this in mind the following press statement was put out early this morning.

WILL LABOUR ALLOW FIRST TURBANED SIKH IN THE COMMONS

Two weeks ago following the death of Ealing Southall MP, Piara Khabra the Labour Party was initially all set to adopt an all women’s short list with the likely winner being Sonika Nirwal. However, considering this is a by election that Gordon Brown dare not lose the selection process was opened up last week to avoid a major rift in the local Labour Party.

Last night (Monday 2 July) the Labour Selection Panel is understood to have reduced the number of applicants for this safe Labour seat from around 150 to around ten local candidates. The biggest lobby has come from the Sikh community to try and get the first turbaned Sikh elected to the Commons. It is understood two of the ten are turbaned Sikhs, including Gurcharan Singh who is widely accepted as the person with most support in the local Labour Party.

After carrying out interviews the Labour Selection Panel will today (Tuesday 3 July) name the candidates that will be on the short list to take part in hustings this evening and to be put to local Labour Party members tomorrow (Wednesday 4 July). If Gurcharan Singh’s name is one of those on the short list he has a huge vote bank amongst local Labour Party members and is likely to win hands down. However, if he fails to make the short list where will this leave Labour MPs, including Ministers, who have given a commitment to see a turbaned Sikh in Parliament.

A Sikh Federation (UK) spokesman said: ‘If the Labour Party decide not to put a turbaned Sikh in the short list for Ealing Southall the community will have to think carefully about its support for the Party not just in Southall but throughout the UK.’

The next MP for Ealing Southall will in effect be decided by who Labour selects. It appears that excellent turbaned Sikh candidates, such as Dr Harkirtan Singh and Gurinder Singh, have been excluded from the long list on the basis they are not local. However, it is widely rumoured that soon after Piara Khabra’s death the Labour Party had already decided that it wanted Sonika Nirwal as their candidate and it was easier to justify her selection if the long list was restricted to local candidates. The open selection process appears to have been put in place to simply show a certain amount of fairness and transparency.

If Labour fail to allow a turbaned Sikh to be in the short list they are in real danger of giving up the seat to the Liberal Democrats as they will benefit most from an anti-Labour Muslim vote and Sikhs who will feel deeply offended that a well supported and local Sikh has been excluded simply as he has a turban that does not fit the new Labour image.

Gurjeet Singh
National Press Secretary
Sikh Federation (UK)

The news earlier today that only two have been short listed - Verendra Sharma and Jo Sidhu has nonetheless come as a shock. Not only have turbaned Sikhs been overlooked, but women have also been excluded, including the favourite Sonika Nirwal. Some are suggesting Verendra Sharma will be an easy winner of the Labour selection process tomorrow - locals may wish to comment.

The BIGGER question is how should Sikhs vote in the by election on 19 July. Will there be an independent standing as the Labour Party has let many down through the selection process.

04 July, 2007 06:50