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Ayoub Khan

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For other people named Ayub Khan, see Ayub Khan (disambiguation).

Ayoub Khan
MP
Official portrait, 2024
Member of Parliament
for Birmingham Perry Barr
Incumbent
Assumed office
4 July 2024
Preceded byKhalid Mahmood
Majority507 (1.4%)
Member of Birmingham City Council
for Aston
Incumbent
Assumed office
May 2022
Preceded byMuhammad Afzal
In office
July 2005 – May 2012
In office
May 2003 – June 2004
Personal details
Born1972 or 1973 (age 51–52)[1]
Ratta, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan
Political partyIndependent (part of the Independent Alliance)
Other political
affiliations		Liberal Democrats (until 2024)
Alma materUniversity of Birmingham
University of Central England

Ayoub Khan (born 1972 or 1973) is a British independent politician and barrister who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Birmingham Perry Barr since 2024.[2][3] Khan has served as a councillor for Aston on Birmingham City Council since 2022, and formerly from 2003–2004 and 2005–2012, also formerly serving as a cabinet member on the council.

A member of the Liberal Democrats until his resignation prior to the 2024 general election, since September 2024 he has been a member of the Independent Alliance parliamentary group.

Early life and education

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Ayoub Khan moved to England from Ratta, Azad Kashmir at six months old. He attended Prince Albert Primary School, Duddeston Manor Secondary School and Josiah Mason College. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Chemistry from the University of Birmingham and a Masters in Engineering (MEng) in Integrated Management Systems from the University of Birmingham . He studied Law at the University of Central England and completed his Bar Vocational Training Course at the BPP Law College London and qualified as a Barrister in 2007 after being called to the bar in 2005. He is a member of Lincoln’s Inn.[4]

Political career

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Councillor

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Khan was first elected as a Liberal Democrat councillor in the Aston ward in Birmingham Council in 2003.[5] He lost the seat in 2004, but successfully challenged the result through an Election Petition at the High Court which determined that the Labour Party candidates were involved in postal voter scandal.[6] He went on and won the by-election in 2005.[7][8] He represented the Aston Ward again from 2005 to 2012[9][8] He served as a member on the City Council's cabinet.[10]

In 2008, Khan alleged the use of underhanded tactics by Labour opponent Muhammad Afzal. In 2009, Afzal was cleared, and Khan was declared to have made unsubstantiated claims against Afzal by the election commissioner, Timothy Straker QC. The leader of Birmingham council's Labour group, Albert Bore, said that he should be barred from contesting the 2010 general election.[11][12][13] Khan appealed the decision to the High Court, claiming that the judges findings were "perverse" and "unsubstantiated"; Khan was unsuccessful in his appeal.[12][13][6] Khan said that the judgement was "beyond my belief" and that he would fight to clear his name. Afzal also reported Khan to the Bar Standards Board, who found Khan clear of wrongdoing.[12][13] An internal Liberal Democrat investigation cleared Khan of any wrongdoing, and he was maintained as their prospective parliamentary candidate.[6][13]

He contested the Birmingham Ladywood constituency at the 2010 general election, and came second to Labour's Shabana Mahmood.[14] He also contested the West Midlands constituency at the 2014 European Parliament election, at which he was also not elected.[15]

During the 2018 Birmingham Council election contested the election in his old ward of Aston, but was unsuccessful.[16] In the 2022 Birmingham Council election Khan again stood in Aston, and was successful in being re-elected to the City Council.[9][16] The win was in part attributed to a Gifting Scandal, which led to a high court case and the downfall of Labour Councillor Mohammad Afzal.[17]

Following the outbreak of the 2023 Gaza war, Ayoub Khan and fellow Liberal Democrat councillor Izzy Knowles proposed a motion within the Birmingham City Council calling to recognise the negative effects of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; the increase in anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim hate; and notes the Council's duty of care to the people of Birmingham, and to promoting peace, tolerance and respect."[18] The motion notably called for the council to support a Homes for Palestine refugees programme inspired by the Homes for Ukraine programme.[18]

Khan faced controversy after he created videos on TikTok saying that evidence of those killed or harmed in 7 October attacks should be publicly released[18][19][20] and saying that Suella Braverman was misguided over her claims that the "from the river to the sea Palestine will be free" slogan is anti-semitic.[18] Some considered the posts anti-semitic, while the Liberal Democrats conducted an investigation in relation to the posts and dismissed the complaints. Khan apologised to members of his community for any offence caused by the posts. Khan was offered antisemitism training by the Liberal Democrats but refused to undertake any training as he did not require it.[21][22] Khan stated "at no stage have I considered my material on TikTok offensive. It illustrates doesn’t it how the media can get it wrong".[18][22][23]

Member of Parliament

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In May 2024, a general election was called. A precondition that he would have been limited by the Party when talking about the war against Gaza.[24][25] Instead, he resigned from the Liberal Democrats and stood as an independent candidate for the Birmingham Perry Barr constituency.[24] During the election campaign, his wife suffered a brain injury in a fall, which resulted in Khan reducing his campaigning efforts to be with his wife. Khan said that it was eye opening and provoked him to "double down efforts" with reducing NHS wait times.[17] Ayoub Khan was elected as an independent MP for Perry Barr, with 35.5% of the vote, overturning the incumbent Labour MP Khalid Mahmood's 15,000 vote majority to win by 507 votes.[26][27]

Khan 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.[28][29] Both amendments were voted down by the Labour Party.[29] Shortly after the vote Ayoub Khan, Shockat Adam, Jeremy Corbyn, Adnan Hussain, and Iqbal Mohamed produced a joint letter decrying the two major parties and stating the need for a caring alternative.[30] 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".[31]

On 2 September 2024, Khan was a founding member of the Independent Alliance parliamentary group.[32]

Personal life

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As of 2024, Khan continues to live in his childhood neighbourhood of Aston with his wife and their six children.

References

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  1. ^ Arnot, Chris (7 August 2007). "Can-do councillor". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  2. ^ "Birmingham Perry Barr - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  3. ^ Siddique, Haroon (7 July 2024). "Who are the pro-Gaza independents who unseated Labour MPs?". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  4. ^ Arnot, Chris (8 August 2007). "Can-do councillor". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  5. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Aston Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "Birmingham councillor secretly records political opponent in bid to save career". Business Live. 29 January 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Aston Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Councillor Ayoub Khan". birmingham.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Local Elections Archive Project — Aston Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  10. ^ Arnot, Chris (7 August 2007). "Can-do councillor". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  11. ^ "Birmingham councillor Ayoub Khan facing professional misconduct tribunal". Business Live. 19 March 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  12. ^ a b c Siddique, Haroon (27 July 2009). "Nick Clegg urged to bar candidate from standing at next election". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  13. ^ a b c d Cartledge, James (19 March 2010). "Birmingham City Council member Ayoub Khan to face Bar Standards Board probe". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  14. ^ "BBC News | Election 2010 | Constituency | Birmingham Ladywood". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  15. ^ "Ayoub Khan for Birmingham Perry Barr in the UK Parliamentary general election". whocanivotefor.co.uk.
  16. ^ a b "Local Elections Archive Project — Aston Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  17. ^ a b Haynes, Jane (11 July 2024). "Birmingham's first Independent MP Ayoub Khan takes oath in House of Commons". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  18. ^ a b c d e Haynes, Jane (6 November 2023). "Tension mounts in Birmingham over Israel-Hamas conflict". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  19. ^ Mayor, Rob (27 October 2023). "Birmingham Lib Dem Councillor investigated for Hamas attack comments". BBC News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  20. ^ Harpin, Lee (26 October 2023). "Lib Dem councillor questions accounts of Hamas terrorist atrocities". Jewish News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  21. ^ "Birmingham Lib Dem councillor offered anti-semitism training". BBC News. 28 October 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  22. ^ a b Harpin, Lee (30 October 2023). "Lib Dem councillor denies he agreed to do antisemitism training over Hamas remarks". Jewish News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  23. ^ Harpin, Lee. "Lib Dem councillor sparks fury after refusing to address antisemitism concerns". Jewish News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  24. ^ a b Haynes, Jane (28 May 2024). "Lib Dem quits party to fight Perry Barr seat as Independent over Gaza". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  25. ^ Mullah, Imran (5 July 2024). "Pro-Palestine candidate pulls off shock win against Labour's Khalid Mahmood". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  26. ^ "Pro-gaza candidates capture seats from". thenationalnews.com. 5 July 2024.[permanent dead link‍]
  27. ^ Morton, Becky (5 July 2024). "Pro-Gaza candidates squeeze Labour vote in some constituencies". BBC News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  28. ^ Green, Daniel (18 July 2024). "King's Speech: Government to face four amendments on two-child benefit cap". LabourList. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  29. ^ a b staff, Politics co uk (23 July 2024). "How every MP voted on the two-child benefit cap amendment". Politics.co.uk. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  30. ^ Gye, Hugo; Vaughan, Richard (24 July 2024). "Corbyn trying to form rebel alliance to fight Starmer after Labour benefits revolt". inews. Archived from the original on 24 August 2024. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  31. ^ "Jeremy Corbyn in talks to form new group with independent MPs". BBC News. 9 August 2024. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  32. ^ Elgot, Jessica (2 September 2024). "Jeremy Corbyn to form alliance with four independent pro-Gaza MPs". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Birmingham Perry Barr
2024–present 		Incumbent
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