I am the Member of Parliament for Birmingham, Edgbaston, Shadow Minister for Primary Care and Public Health, and the UK’s first female Sikh MP. Born and raised in the West Midlands, I was a social worker and a Councillor, and Cabinet Member for Public Health and Protection prior to entering Parliament. I am Chair of the Co-operative Party Parliamentary Group, and Vice-President of the Local Government Association.  Before becoming Shadow Minister for Primary Care and Public Health, I was Shadow Secretary of State for International Development.

 

In Parliament, I chair the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for British Sikhs and act as Vice Chair for the APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief, the APPG for the Commonwealth Games, and the APPG for Aid Match. I also co-chair the APPG for Levelling up Birmingham. In 2018, I featured on Birmingham City University’s Brummies Who Inspire and presented an award for Sikh Woman of Substance by the Sikh Women’s Alliance. In 2020, I was named MP of the Year by the Patchwork Foundation.