Iraq War Opposing Cabbie Bids To Replace MP Hutton
Saturday, 26 September 2009
A taxi-driving city councillor who briefly quit the Labour Party in protest at the war in Iraq is in the running to replace John Hutton.
Pakistan-born Saj Malik has been nominated for the shortlist of Labour parliamentary candidates by the Walney branch of the Barrow and Furness constituency.
The 41-year-old Oxford councillor told The Evening Mail he was ‘the man with a plan’ who understood working class issues.
Cllr Salik said: “As a taxi driver I experience the problems out on the street first hand.
“People are disillusioned with politics because people in Westminster live on a different planet.
“Barrow is an industrial town and as a down to earth worker I can identify with problems at grassroots.”
Cllr Salik – who names The Lake District as a favourite destination – says his ‘plan’ would include protecting shipyard jobs and regeneration of the area.
Orphaned by the age of 16, Cllr Malik came to the UK in 1989 and has an English wife and three children.
He became an Oxford city councillor five years ago – with a crime and safety portfolio – and this year dragged Labour from third place to land a county council seat.
Cllr Majik said he had joined protest marches in Oxford London against the Iraq War which he found morally unjustifiable.
He defected to the Liberal Democrats but returned to the party in 2006 stating “once Labour always Labour.”
Cllr Malik, who has previously worked in a Cash ‘N’ Carry and as a restaurant manager, says he went into politics to give something back to the country.
He said: “This country has given me a roof over my head, a wonderful wife and children. I feel I am a role model for how people of different values can integrate into society.”
With nominations closing this week, The Evening Mail understands Cllr Malik is one of only five candidates who will be interviewed for the final shortlist by party members next Saturday. The other four are top government adviser John Woodcock, London human rights barrister Mark McDonald, Barrovian parliamentary researcher Cat Smith and London campaigner Adenike Adimbola-Akindele.
A final decision on who will replace Mr Hutton will be made at a hustings meeting on October 24.
Source; North West Evening Mail - nwemail.co.uk
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