23 Facts About Apsana Begum

Apsana Begum is a member of the left-wing Socialist Campaign Group of MPs.

Apsana Begum is the UK's first MP to wear a hijab and is a member of Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East.

Apsana Begum was born on 25 May 1990 in Shadwell, to Bangladeshi Muslim parents Manir Uddin Ahmed and Syeda Nazma Begum.

Apsana Begum graduated with a BA in politics from Queen Mary University of London in 2011, and completed a postgraduate diploma in law and community leadership at SOAS University of London in 2012.

Apsana Begum was a Workforce Diversity Project Officer for Tower Hamlets Homes from 2014 to 2015, and Equality and Diversity Officer for Queen Mary University of London from 2016 to 2018.

Apsana Begum was selected in October 2019 as the Labour candidate for Poplar and Limehouse at the 2019 general election.

Apsana Begum was endorsed by the socialist group Momentum and nominated from an all-women shortlist.

In November 2019, the British press reported that Apsana Begum had shared a social media post in 2017 that referred to Saudi Arabia's "Zionist masters".

Apsana Begum delivered her maiden speech in Parliament during a debate about International Women's Day, paying tribute to what she described as the "rich history of women's struggles for social justice" in East London.

In January 2020, Apsana Begum told the Eastern Eye about being elected to Parliament that she has had to endure a series of racist, Islamophobic and misogynistic attacks and set out what she saw as the many barriers facing BAME women in public life.

Apsana Begum said that the communities were at a greater risk due to the higher proportion of members who worked in the health sector.

Apsana Begum commented in November 2020 that the Labour Party "has been in denial" about the problem of Islamophobia.

On 24 February 2022, following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Apsana Begum was one of 11 Labour MPs threatened with loss of the party whip for signing a statement by the Stop the War Coalition which questioned the legitimacy of NATO and accused NATO of "eastward expansion".

On 7 October 2023, Apsana Begum posed with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign at their stand at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool.

On 23 July 2024, Apsana Begum confirmed that she had had the Labour Party whip withdrawn and was suspended from the party due to voting for a SNP amendment on the King's Speech to end the two child benefit cap.

Apsana Begum said that she felt bullied by Labour's whips, and that a whip stated that anti-domestic violence legislation tabled by Apsana Begum would only be supported if she did not vote for the SNP amendment.

Apsana Begum married Ehtashamul Haque, then a member of Tower Hamlets Council, in 2013.

In January 2020, Apsana Begum wrote in a tweet that she had suffered from domestic abuse.

Apsana Begum went on to become chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Domestic Violence and Abuse.

In 2020, Apsana Begum was charged with three counts of fraud dating between 18 January 2013 and 31 March 2016, relating to the charge that she had dishonestly failed to disclose information in applying for and securing social housing.

Apsana Begum said that she would "vigorously contest" the charges.

Apsana Begum's barrister presented evidence about the pattern of the applications which, she argued, suggested that two different people were applying.

Apsana Begum argued that she was a victim of domestic abuse, coercive control and financial abuse and, on 30 July 2021, was found not guilty on all three counts.