UK Indians in fix on Corbyn’s re-election

LONDON : Britain’s 1.5 million-strong Indian community - traditionally a strong Labour “vote bank” - has largely moved away to the Conservatives in recent elections,

LONDON : Britain’s 1.5 million-strong Indian community - traditionally a strong Labour “vote bank” - has largely moved away to the Conservatives in recent elections, but there are few signs the party will regain its trust after Jeremy Corbyn’s re-election as leader.

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Not just party members of Indian or Asian origin, but many Labour MPs were uneasy after Corbyn was elected on September 24 with more support than he received in September 2015, and he reaffirmed his socialist plans.

Despite the uneasiness, Corbyn leading Labour to victory in the 2020 elections is no longer seen as an impossibility, given the reality of Britain under the Conservatives and the growing appeal of his socialist plans. “The Indian community in Britain is in limbo after Labour was hijacked by left and ultra-left elements,” Anasudhin Azeez, the Kerala-origin editor of the publication Asian Lite told HT.

Besides Labour’s left orientation under Corbyn, a large section of the Indian community is uneasy with his support to groups seeking to introduce caste-based discrimination in UK law, an issue that has already divided the community. It feels there are fewer prospects of Labour returning to the agenda of combining economic credibility with a strong commitment to social justice, which won it three successive elections.

“Since his victory, however, Corbyn has said he wants to reach out to his opponents... That gives me cause for hope,” said Manoj Ladwa, chair of the Indians for Labour group.