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Uma Kumaran

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Uma Kumaran
MP
Official portrait, 2024
Member of Parliament
Incumbent
Assumed office
5 July 2024
ConstituencyStratford and Bow
Majority11,634 (26.8%)
Personal details
BornLondon, UK
Political partyLabour
Alma materQueen Mary University of London
Websitewww.umakumaran.co.uk

Uma Kumaran (Tamil: உமா குமரன்) is a British politician and Member of Parliament (MP). A member of the Labour Party, she has represented Stratford and Bow since July 2024.

Early life

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Kumaran was born in East London to Sri Lankan Tamil refugees.[1][2] Her parents, who had fled the Sri Lankan Civil War, were assisted by Labour Party MP Jeremy Corbyn in their immigration case.[3] The family later moved to Harrow where Kumaran was educated at Newton Farm Nursery, Infant and Junior School, Bentley Wood High School and St Dominic's Sixth Form College.[4][5] She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in politics and a Master of Science degree in public policy from Queen Mary University of London.[3][6]

Career

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Kumaran worked for NHS Professionals between December 2007 and January 2009.[5][7] She was a parliamentary researcher and caseworker for Labour MP Dawn Butler between March 2009 and August 2010.[5][8][9] She worked for the Labour Group on Islington Council from September 2010 to December 2014.[5][10] She was senior campaign adviser for Sadiq Khan (May 2015 to October 2015) and a political adviser at the Local Government Association (October 2015 to November 2017).[6][11] She then served as a Senior Adviser to Mayor of London Sadiq Khan from November 2017 to August 2020.[6][12] Kumaran was Deputy Director of Parliamentary Affairs for Labour leader Keir Starmer from September 2020 to March 2022 where she was a part of Starmer's Prime Minister's Questions and Shadow Cabinet Relations team.[6][13][14] She was Director Diplomatic and International Relations for C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group from April 2022 to May 2024.[6][15][16]

Kumaran contested 2010 local elections in the London Borough of Harrow as one of the Labour Party candidates in the three-member Pinner South Ward but was not elected.[17] In November 2013 Kumaran was selected by the Labour Party to be its candidate in Harrow East.[5][18] During the 2015 general election campaign she and the Liberal Democrat candidate were attacked by Dharma Sewa Purvapaksha, an organisation founded by Conservative Party member Mukesh Naker, for their parties’ support in 2013 for legislation to outlaw caste discrimination.[19][20][21] Kumaran's Conservative opponent Bob Blackman described the anti-discrimination legislation as "divisive and much hated".[21] At the election Kumaran was defeated by Blackman.[22][23] She did not contest the 2017 general election, citing the impact on her family and friends that she claimed was a result of communal politics employed by Conservative MP Bob Blackman during the 2015 election campaign in Harrow East.[11] In May 2024 Kumaran was selected to be the Labour Party's candidate in the newly created constituency of Stratford and Bow.[24][25] At the election she was elected with a majority of 11,634.[26][27]

Personal life

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Kumaran is married to political consultant Jacob Tilley.[28][29]

Electoral history

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Electoral history of Uma Kumaran
Election Constituency Party Votes Result
2010 local[30] Harrow - Pinner South Ward Labour Party 1,535 Not elected
2015 general[31][32] Harrow East Labour Party 19,911 Not elected
2024 general[26] Stratford and Bow Labour Party 19,145 Elected

References

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  1. ^ "Expecting to benefit from desire for change". The Jewish Chronicle. London, UK. Archived from the original on 2 June 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  2. ^ "Talk at the Cafe Spectator: Lankan-origin Britons enter election fray in UK". The Sunday Times. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 23 June 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  3. ^ a b "A Daughter Of Sri Lankan Tamil To Contest For Labour Party In Harrow East". Colombo Telegraph. 18 October 2013. Archived from the original on 28 May 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  4. ^ "About Labour: Labour people - Labour's Candidates - Harrow East, Uma Kumaran". London, UK: Labour Party. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015.
  5. ^ a b c d e Shammas, John (18 November 2013). "'We are a success story of multicultural Britain': Labour select Uma Kumaran as Harrow East 2015 candidate". MyLondon. London, UK. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e Garfinkel, Imogen (19 June 2024). "Labour candidate Uma Kumaran on a Gaza ceasefire, the NHS and the Grenfell fire". London, UK: Roman Road London. Archived from the original on 20 June 2024. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  7. ^ "Uma Kumaran - Candidate for Harrow East". London, UK: Labour Party. Archived from the original on 15 December 2014.
  8. ^ "Register of Interests of Members' Secretaries and Research Assistants (as at 12 April 2010)" (PDF). London, Uk: Parliament of the United Kingdom. p. 40. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 April 2010.
  9. ^ Shoffman, Marc (23 April 2015). "Countdown to Election Day! Meet the candidates: Harrow East". Jewish News. London, UK. Archived from the original on 31 May 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  10. ^ Morgan, Ben (8 May 2015). "Harrow East election result: Tory Bob Blackman doubles majority to retain seat". Evening Standard. London, UK. Archived from the original on 25 March 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  11. ^ a b Gallagher, Paul (21 April 2017). "Uma Kumaran: 'I can't stand – last time the Tories dragged the campaign into the gutter'". i. London, UK. Archived from the original on 2 June 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  12. ^ "LGA Labour Group Annual Report 2018" (PDF). Local Government Association. London, UK: LGA Labour Group. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  13. ^ "2024 – General Election – Week 3". London, UK: JBP Associates. 11 June 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  14. ^ Hardman, Isabel (26 September 2021). "Keir Starmer's brains trust". The Spectator. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  15. ^ "Our Team". London, UK: C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023.
  16. ^ Harpin, Lee (20 May 2024). "Jewish Labour activist seeks to stand for Party in Corbyn's current seat". Jewish News. London, UK. Archived from the original on 20 May 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  17. ^ "Pinner South Ward — Harrow". Local Elections Archive Project. Archived from the original on 28 November 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  18. ^ Thain, Bruce (18 November 2013). "Uma Kumaran selected as Labour's Harrow East candidate". Harrow Times. Watford, UK. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  19. ^ "Uma Kumaran: Political Personality". Asian Voice. 29 May 2017. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  20. ^ Hundal, Sunny (10 December 2019). "The campaigns trying to turn British Indians against each other". openDemocracy. London, UK. Archived from the original on 16 January 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  21. ^ a b Oliphant, Victoria (6 May 2015). "Labour candidate Uma Kumaran condemns Dharma Sewa Purvapaksha leaflet as 'gutter politics'". Harrow Times. Watford, UK. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  22. ^ "Election 2015: Bob Blackman fends off Labour challenge in Harrow East". The Jewish Chronicle. London, UK. Archived from the original on 4 March 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  23. ^ de Silva, Neville (11 May 2015). "UK election brings sweet music to Lankan ears". Daily FT. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  24. ^ Adu, Aletha; Mason, Rowena; Courea, Eleni (31 May 2024). "Diane Abbott free to stand for Labour in election, says Starmer". The Guardian. London, UK. Archived from the original on 9 June 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  25. ^ "East Ham, Stratford and Bow and West Ham and Beckton Parliamentary candidates chosen". London, UK: Newham Labour. 8 June 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  26. ^ a b "Election 2024: Stratford and Bow results". BBC News. London, UK. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  27. ^ "Uma Kumaran elected as MP for Stratford and Bow, Stephen Timms elected as MP for East Ham, and James Asser elected as MP for West Ham and Beckton". Newham, UK: Newham London Borough Council. Archived from the original on 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  28. ^ "New Labour MP asks for 'patience and understanding' after husband suffers stroke". The Independent. 10 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  29. ^ "The Wedding Gospel Choir - Reviews". Hire a Band. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  30. ^ "Election results for Pinner South: Borough Election - Thursday 6 May 2010". Harrow, UK: Harrow London Borough Council. 6 May 2010. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  31. ^ "Election results for Harrow East: Parliamentary Election - Thursday 7 May 2015". Harrow, UK: Harrow London Borough Council. 7 May 2015. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022.
  32. ^ "Election history: 2015 General Election - Harrow East". London, UK: Parliament of the United Kingdom. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
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