Shockat Adam

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Shockat Adam

| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MP}}

| image = Official portrait of Shockat Adam MP crop 2.jpg

| caption = Official portrait, 2024

| office = Member of Parliament
for Leicester South

| predecessor = Jonathan Ashworth

| term_start = 4 July 2024

| term_end =

| majority = 979 (2.3%)

| birth_name = Shockat Hussain Adam Patel

| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1972|11}}

| birth_place = Malawi

| party = Independent (part of the Independent Alliance)

| education =

| alma_mater = University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology

| website = {{URL|https://shockatadam.org/}}

}}

Shockat Hussain Adam Patel{{cite web |title=Declaration of Result of Poll |url=https://www.leicester.gov.uk/media/zaag0n4b/leicester-south-declaration-2024.pdf |publisher=Leicester City Council |access-date=27 December 2024}}{{cite web |title='This is for people of Gaza': Shockat Adam takes Labour's Jonathan Ashworth's Leicester South seat |url=https://news.sky.com/video/this-is-for-people-of-gaza-shockat-adam-takes-labours-jonathan-ashworths-leicester-south-seat-13173433 |publisher=Sky News |access-date=6 July 2024}} (born November 1972){{Cite web |title=Shockat Adam PATEL personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/fK7MKfS-r3PwOSupNuYiQQcrzzI/appointments |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk |language=en}} is a British businessman, optometrist, and independent politician who has served as the Member of Parliament for Leicester South since 2024.{{Cite web |title=Leicester South {{!}} General Election 2024 {{!}} Sky News |url=https://election.news.sky.com/elections/general-election-2024/leicester-south-361 |access-date=4 July 2024 |website=election.news.sky.com}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jul/07/who-are-the-pro-gaza-independents-who-unseated-labour-mps|title=Who are the pro-Gaza independents who unseated Labour MPs?|website=The Guardian|date=7 July 2024|access-date=9 July 2024|first=Haroon|last=Siddique}}

In September 2024 he was a founder of the Independent Alliance.

Early life and career

Adam was born in Malawi,{{Cite AV media |title=He Defeated Starmer Ally - Then Labour Attacked Him Over Gaza. Now He Speaks Out. w/. Shockat Adam |date=14 July 2024 |type=Video interview |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxxNZe1PeEw&t=165s|time=2m45s|first=Owen|last=Jones|author-link=Owen Jones}} into a Muslim Memon family of Gujarati descent and grew up in Leicester, where he attended sixth-form college. He studied optometry at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology.{{Cite web |last=Rodgers |first=Sienna |date=2024-09-05 |title=The Shockat Adam interview: 'Why would anybody want to be an MP?' |url=https://www.politicshome.com/thehouse/article/shockat-adam-interview |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=Politics Home |language=en}} He is a director of Sask Optics which is owned by him, his wife and his brother Ismail Patel.{{cite news |last1=Pogrund |first1=Gabriel |title=The election shock, the Gaza leaflets and the police investigation |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/6102ec60-9bd4-4047-af89-f381595d1adf |access-date=14 July 2024 |work=Sunday Times |date=14 July 2024}}

Adam was the former Leicester chair of Muslim Engagement and Development, and spoke out against the 2022 Leicester unrest between Hindu and Muslim communities in the city.{{cite news |last1=Specia |first1=Megan |date=2 October 2022 |title=Tensions That Roiled English City Have Roots in India |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/02/world/europe/leicester-violence-uk.html |access-date=6 July 2024 |work=The New York Times}}{{cite news |last1=Goldberg |first1=Adrian |date=21 September 2022 |title='The First Time Politics in Our City was Played on Religious Grounds' |url=https://bylinetimes.com/2022/09/21/the-first-time-politics-in-our-city-was-played-on-religious-grounds/ |access-date=6 July 2024 |work=Byline Times}}

Prior to his candidacy, Adam had never been a member of a political party nor had public social media. In the 2019 general election he had supported Labour Party candidate Claudia Webbe's campaign in Leicester East.{{Cite web |last=Sykes |first=Ed |date=19 June 2024 |title=Ex-Labour voters say party 'kicked them in the teeth', insists independent challenger to Jon Ashworth |url=https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2024/06/19/shockat-adam-jon-ashworth-leicester/ |website=The Canary}} Adam has previously hosted hustings, and aided people in contacting their MP.

Parliamentary career

Adam was elected in the 2024 general election as an independent, beating Labour candidate and Shadow Paymaster General Jonathan Ashworth in a result that was described as an upset. Backlash against Labour's position on the Gaza war was a factor in Adam's victory, with Adam saying "this is for Gaza" while holding a Palestinian keffiyeh aloft when the results were announced.{{Cite web |title=Huge Shock As Labour Attack Dog Jonathan Ashworth Loses His Seat |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/huge-shock-as-labour-attack-dog-jonathan-ashworth-loses-his-seat_uk_66875cede4b0971108c2945f |access-date=4 July 2024 |website=Huffington Post }}{{cite news |title=Pro-Gaza candidates squeeze Labour vote in some constituencies |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9e9ydj215yo |access-date=4 July 2024 |work=BBC News |date=4 July 2024}} In an interview with The Observer, Adam said his victory was not sectarian, and highlighted his concerns and campaigning regarding the housing crisis and the state of the National Health Service.{{cite news |last1=Jayanetti |first1=Chaminda |title=Independent Muslim who beat Labour in Leicester says victory was not ‘sectarian’ |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jul/06/shockat-adam-independent-muslim-mp-leicester-south-victory-not-sectarian |access-date=8 July 2024 |work=The Observer |date=6 July 2024}}

On 19 July 2024, the Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, announced in parliament that the United Kingdom would resume funding to the UN Relief Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA).{{Cite web |date=2024-07-19 |title=UK to resume funding UN Gaza aid agency, David Lammy says |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjm9r0w71g8o |access-date=2024-09-03 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Noble |first=Samantha |date=2024-07-20 |title=New Leicester MP skips Commons over 'potential death threat' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c72v0glmpl2o |access-date=2024-09-03 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}} In a statement, Adam supported the move and described it as a result of pro-Palestinian protesters from all backgrounds. Adam apologised for not being present in parliament due to death threats he had received. He thanked Leicestershire and Cambridgeshire police for their assistance, and stated that he would not be deterred from his work.

Adam sponsored the Independent—Green "Amendment B" to abolish the two child benefit cap, and voted in support of the Scottish National Party's "Amendment D" to abolish the cap.{{Cite web |last=Green |first=Daniel |date=2024-07-18 |title=King’s Speech: Government to face four amendments on two-child benefit cap |url=https://labourlist.org/2024/07/kings-speech-2024-benefit-cap-amendments/ |access-date=2024-09-04 |website=LabourList |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=staff |first=Politics co uk |date=2024-07-23 |title=How every MP voted on the two-child benefit cap amendment |url=https://www.politics.co.uk/news/2024/07/23/kings-speech-how-every-mp-voted-on-the-snps-two-child-benefit-cap-amendment/ |access-date=2024-09-04 |website=Politics.co.uk |language=en-US}} Shortly after the vote Shockat Adam, Jeremy Corbyn, Adnan Hussain, Ayoub Khan, and Iqbal Mohamed produced a joint letter decrying the two major parties and stating the need for a caring alternative.{{Cite web |last=Gye |first=Hugo |last2=Vaughan |first2=Richard |date=24 July 2024 |title=Corbyn trying to form rebel alliance to fight Starmer after Labour benefits revolt |url=https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/corbyn-form-rebel-alliance-fight-starmer-labour-benefits-revolt-3188307 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240824122040/inews.co.uk/news/politics/corbyn-form-rebel-alliance-fight-starmer-labour-benefits-revolt-3188307 |archive-date=24 August 2024 |access-date=3 September 2024 |website=inews}} Adam and Corbyn had been in discussions with Khan, Hussain, and Mohamed regarding how to impact policy, with Adam stating that the five were "looking at options that would give us more access to the levers of power".{{Cite web |date=2024-08-09 |title=Jeremy Corbyn in talks to form new group with independent MPs |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd73x77r22do |access-date=2024-09-03 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}

On 2 September 2024, Adam was a founding member of the Independent Alliance parliamentary group.{{Cite news |last=Elgot |first=Jessica |date=2024-09-02 |title=Jeremy Corbyn to form alliance with four independent pro-Gaza MPs |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/sep/02/jeremy-corbyn-alliance-independent-pro-gaza-mps |access-date=2024-09-02 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} The group has five members.

In October, Adam introduced a private members bill for the UK to recognise the State of Palestine. The bill is sponsored by the four other members of the Independent Alliance, as well as Siân Berry, Stephen Gethins, Brendan O'Hara, Liz Saville-Roberts, Kim Johnson, and Ian Byrne.{{Cite news |date=2024-10-21 |title=Cross-party support for Westminster bill to recognise Palestine statehood |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/24668074.independent-mp-lodges-westminster-bill-recognise-palestine-state/ |access-date=2024-10-22 |website=The National |language=en}}{{Cite news |title=UK: Shockat Adam presents bill recognising Palestinian state to parliament |url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/uk-shockat-adam-presents-bill-recognising-palestinian-state-parliament |access-date=2024-10-22 |website=Middle East Eye |language=en}}

Personal life

He is the brother of Ismail Patel, the founder of the Friends of Al-Aqsa NGO based in Leicester.{{cite news |last1=Harpin |first1=Lee |title=New MP who said election win was 'for Gaza' is brother of Islamist group founder |url=https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/new-mp-who-said-election-win-was-for-gaza-is-brother-of-hardline-anti-israel-group-founder/ |access-date=6 July 2024 |work=Jewish News |date=6 July 2024}}