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Imran Ahmad Khan

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Imran Nasir Ahmad Khan (born 6 September 1973)[1][2] is a British politician who is the independent Member of Parliament (MP) for Wakefield. He was elected as a Conservative in 2019, but had the whip withdrawn in June 2021; he was subsequently expelled from the party following his conviction for child sexual abuse in 2022.

Born and educated in Wakefield in West Yorkshire, Ahmad Khan studied at the Pushkin Institute in Moscow and King's College London. He worked for the United Nations as special assistant for political affairs in Mogadishu and as a senior consultant for M&C Saatchi. A supporter of Brexit, he was elected in the 2019 general election and attributed his victory to voters' support for leaving the European Union in 2016.

In 2021, he was charged with sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy in 2008, contrary to section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. Ahmad Khan denied the accusation "in the strongest terms".[3] On 11 April 2022, following a week-long trial at Southwark Crown Court, he was found guilty of the offence.[4]

Early life and career

Ahmad Khan was born in Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield, where both his parents worked.[5] His father, Dr Saeed Ahmad Khan, was born in the North West Frontier Province of British India (now in Pakistan), and worked as a consultant dermatologist.[6][7] His English mother was a state registered nurse and midwife.[8] His grandmother, Joyce Reynolds, also worked at Pinderfields Hospital as a staff sister.[7] His grandfather was a miner.[7]

Ahmad Khan attended the local, independent Silcoates School.[9] He studied the Russian language at the Pushkin Institute in Moscow, and earned a bachelor's degree in war studies at King's College London.[10] He worked for the United Nations as special assistant for political affairs in Mogadishu and as a senior consultant for the advertising agency, M&C Saatchi.[10]Vorlage:Better source needed Having worked as a counter-terrorism expert prior to becoming an MP,[9] he joked his experience in conflict zones such as Somalia and Afghanistan gave him what would be needed to build bridges between warring parties in the Brexit battle.[11]

Political career

Member of Parliament

In the 2019 general election, Ahmad Khan defeated the incumbent Labour MP, Mary Creagh, to become the first Conservative MP for the constituency in 89 years.[12] Wakefield voted almost 2-to-1 in favour of leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum and was a target seat for the Conservatives.[11] He was selected after the withdrawal of a candidate whose racist and sexist social media posts were uncovered.[13] Labour's Creagh said: "Will the next candidate they parachute in be any better? Don’t hold your breath." Ahmad Khan responded by taking part in a skydive[14] over the town and retorted he was "a local lad born and bred in Wakefield, of Wakefield stock. I couldn't figuratively parachute in—and I didn't want to disappoint her—so I decided I would literally parachute in."[14]

The LGBT+ Conservatives group incorrectly described Ahmad Khan as 'openly gay' and he made news worldwide for becoming the first openly gay Muslim to be elected. They subsequently clarified that Ahmad Khan "fully endorses" the group's aims "but is not an out LGBT MP".[15][16] The confusion arose after a mistaken application to a fund to help LGBT+ Conservative candidates.[17] Ahmad Khan subsequently came out as gay.[18]

In his maiden speech in January 2020, Ahmad Khan spoke of being part of "a vibrant and dynamic pack of Yorkshire MPs". He called for equality of opportunity to be made real, and for more patriotism: "I see perhaps more clearly than most the deep and enduring importance of core British values such as compassion, tolerance and fairness, especially at a time when those values are perceived as under threat in many parts of our world."[19]

COVID-19 pandemic response

Ahmad Khan organised a shipment of 110,000 reusable face masks through connections with the charity Solidarités international and the Vietnamese Government. Most of the masks were for the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust's Pontefract, Pinderfields and Dewsbury and District Hospitals and 10,000 were distributed by the trust to local care homes and hospices.[5][20] He launched 'Wakefield Together' to co-ordinate local efforts to tackle difficulties arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.[20]

Ahmad Khan helped secure £2.9 million for Wakefield's art hubs, including Theatre Royal Wakefield, the Creative Art House, and the West Yorkshire Theatre Dance Centre, via the Culture Recovery Fund.[21]

Political positions

Brexit

Ahmad Khan supported Britain's departure from the European Union. In an interview with Channel 4 he attributed his success in the 2019 general election to "Islington Remainers" who branded Leave voters "stupid, uneducated, racist or wrong".[22] He has stated that he decided to stand in the election because he came to believe British democracy was "under threat".[7]

In September 2020, in a debate about the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill, Ahmad Khan declared: "I am an ardent supporter of Brexit and look forward eagerly to the opportunity to bolster the United Kingdom's position by becoming an independent, self-governing nation, possessed of the confidence that flows from our vision and principled values". In his speech, he went on to explain his concerns over the Internal Market Bill before backing the legislation.[23]

National Trust coverage of slavery

Following an interim report on the connections between colonialism and properties now in the care of the National Trust, including links with historic slavery, Ahmad Khan was among the signatories of a letter to The Telegraph from the "Common Sense Group" of Conservative Parliamentarians. The letter accused the National Trust of being "coloured by cultural Marxist dogma, colloquially known as the 'woke agenda'".[24]

Yorkshire Devolution Movement

Ahmad Khan supports the Yorkshire Devolution Movement and called for the devolved West Yorkshire authority to be based in Wakefield. In Rishi Sunak's 2020 Budget, West Yorkshire was allocated £1.8bn with a £317m investment in transport and the election of a Mayor of West Yorkshire, a position which in addition to budgetary control will assume the powers of the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner.[25]

Personal life

Ahmad Khan describes himself as a "proud Yorkshireman".[26] His brother is lawyer Karim Ahmad Khan QC.[27] Ahmad Khan came out as gay in 2022.[28][29]

Sexual offence

In June 2021, it was reported that Ahmad Khan had been charged on suspicion of a historical sexual offence of groping a 15-year-old boy in Staffordshire in 2008. In a statement, Ahmad Khan said he denied the accusation "in the strongest terms".[3] In response to the charge, the Conservative Party suspended the whip pending the outcome of the prosecution.[30][31] Ahmad Khan had attempted to have the case heard in secrecy, arguing that as a serving MP there were concerns about his safety and that to name him in court would breach his human rights. He also attempted to have the age of his victim withheld. However his applications were rejected by Westminster Magistrates' Court Chief Magistrate, Paul Goldspring, who said: "Damage to reputation is not a ground for making of an order, open justice is and should remain a cornerstone of democracy and the rule of law."[32]

Ahmad Khan tried again to have the case heard anonymously on the first day of the trial on the grounds that as an Ahmadi Muslim, both the consumption of alcohol and homosexual acts are strictly prohibited, and the reporting of those matters would expose him to "a risk to his safety both here and abroad". [32]

On 10 September 2021, he pleaded not guilty at the Old Bailey.[33] Ahmad Khan's trial started on 29 March 2022. He was accused feeling a 15-year-old boy's legs and reaching for his groin. Ahmad Khan denied that any sexual assault happened.[34] The complainant called police after Ahmad Khan was elected to Parliament. Jurors at the trial also heard evidence given by the complainant's older brother, who said the MP had asked if he was "a true Scotsman" and lifted his kilt, before "lunging" at him at the same party. Another witness at the trial described waking to find Ahmad Khan performing a sex act on him after a party in Pakistan in 2010 where the pair had drunk whisky and smoked marijuana. [32] On 11 April 2022 he was found guilty of sexually assaulting the 15-year-old boy.[35][36]

The Conservative Party expelled Ahmad Khan from the party following the conviction.[37] His legal team said they would appeal against the conviction.[38] Fellow Conservative MP Crispin Blunt was criticised for his "disgraceful" comments on the conviction when he described it as a "dreadful miscarriage of justice" and "nothing short of an international scandal".[39][40][41][42][43]

References

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  1. ↑ Ian Brunskill: The Times guide to the House of Commons 2019 : the definitive record of Britain's historic 2019 General Election. 2020, ISBN 978-0-00-839258-1, S. 370 (worldcat.org).
  2. ↑ Imran Ahmad Khan for Wakefield in the UK Parliament elections. In: Who Can I Vote For? by Democracy Club. Abgerufen am 14. Dezember 2019.
  3. ↑ a b Wakefield MP Imran Ahmad Khan charged with sexually assaulting boy In: BBC News, 18 June 2021 
  4. ↑ Imran Ahmad Khan: MP guilty of sex assault on 15-year-old boy In: BBC News, 11 April 2022 
  5. ↑ a b Geraldine Scott: Wakefield MP arranges delivery of 110,000 reusable face masks from Vietnam for NHS In: The Yorkshire Post, 18 April 2020 
  6. ↑ Saeed Ahmad Khan. In: BMJ. 314. Jahrgang, Nr. 7076, 25. Januar 1997, ISSN 0959-8138, S. 308, doi:10.1136/bmj.314.7076.308 (bmj.com).
  7. ↑ a b c d Geraldine Scott: Imran Ahmad Khan: 'I never imagined in my worst nightmare that our democracy would be under threat at home' In: Yorkshire Post, 28 December 2019 
  8. ↑ IMRAN AHMAD KHAN: Britain doesn't need benefits, it needs skills, says IMRAN AHMAD KHAN, 30 September 2020 
  9. ↑ a b Wakefield Tory candidate Antony Calvert stands down over Facebook posts In: Yorkshire Post. Abgerufen im 13 December 2019 
  10. ↑ a b Imran Ahmad Khan. In: LinkedIn. Abgerufen am 13. Dezember 2019.
  11. ↑ a b Rob Crilly: Echoes of Trump across the pond: Blue-collar Labour voters feel abandoned by party elite In: Washington Examiner, 6 December 2019. Abgerufen im 12 December 2019 
  12. ↑ Conservatives win Wakefield for first time in nearly 90 years. In: wakefieldexpress.co.uk. Abgerufen am 13. Dezember 2019.
  13. ↑ Frances Perraudin: PM under fire for not sacking candidate who wrote 'racist' articles In: The Guardian, 14 November 2019. Abgerufen im 12 December 2019 
  14. ↑ a b Geraldine Scott: Tory candidate is literally parachuted in to Wakefield to counter opponents' claims In: Yorkshire Post, 21 November 2019. Abgerufen im 12 December 2019 
  15. ↑ Tories apologise after Imran Ahmad Khan was 'incorrectly' named as first openly gay Muslim MP In: ITV News, 18 December 2019 
  16. ↑ Basit Mahmood: Conservative Party apologises for saying MP was 'openly gay' In: Metro, 20 December 2019 
  17. ↑ Yorkshire Tory wrongly described as 'openly gay' after mistaken application to LGBT+ fund In: The Yorkshire Post, 18 December 2019. Abgerufen im 28 December 2019 
  18. ↑ Imran Ahmad Khan goes on trial in London for groping young boy. In: CityAM. 29. März 2022, abgerufen am 11. April 2022.
  19. ↑ Geraldine Scott: New Wakefield MP Imran Ahmad Khan pays tribute to 'calm, concise, and experienced' Labour rival Mary Creagh in maiden speech In: The Yorkshire Post, 13 January 2020 
  20. ↑ a b Politically speaking: Wakefield MP Imran Ahmad-Khan on the government's response to coronavirus In: Wakefield Express, 17 April 2020 
  21. ↑ Political column: Imran Ahmad Khan MP - A bright future beckons amidst the uncertainty In: Wakefield Express, 25 December 2020. Abgerufen im 1 January 2021 
  22. ↑ 'Islington Remainers' branded Leave voters 'stupid, uneducated, racist or wrong', says Tory MP Imran Ahmad Khan. Channel 4, 13. Dezember 2019, abgerufen am 14. Dezember 2019.
  23. ↑ Any lost moral authority over Brexit 'will be difficult to repair' – Imran Ahmad Khan In: Yorkshire Post, 16 September 2020. Abgerufen im 17 September 2020 
  24. ↑ Vorlage:Cite letter
  25. ↑ Wakefield's MP calls for new devolved West Yorkshire authority to be headquartered in the city In: Wakefield Express, 13 March 2020. Abgerufen im 14 March 2020 
  26. ↑ Imran Khan becomes first Ahmadi to be elected to British Parliament. In: Rabwah Times. 13. Dezember 2019, abgerufen am 14. Dezember 2019.
  27. ↑ Hugo Gye: Conservative MP Imran Ahmad Khan faces trial over claim he sexually assaulted a teenage boy. In: i (newspaper). Abgerufen am 11. April 2022.
  28. ↑ Imran Khan: Tory press office failed to deal with allegations MP sexually assaulted teenage boy, court hears, 31 March 2022 
  29. ↑ Imran Ahmad Khan: Tory MP in sexual assault case had oddball reputation. In: the Guardian. 11. April 2022, abgerufen am 11. April 2022.
  30. ↑ Tory MP faces trial over alleged 2008 assault on 15-year-old boy In: The Guardian, 18 June 2021 
  31. ↑ Martin Evans: Tory MP Imran Ahmad Khan accused of sexually assaulting 15-year-old boy In: The Telegraph, 18. Juni 2021 (britisches Englisch). 
  32. ↑ a b c Imran Ahmad Khan: MP guilty of sex assault on 15-year-old boy. via www.bbc.co.uk, 11. April 2022;.
  33. ↑ Imran Ahmad Khan: Wakefield MP denies sexual assault on boy In: BBC News, 10 September 2021 
  34. ↑ Imran Ahmad Khan: Wakefield MP sexually assaulted boy at party, trial told, 29 March 2022 
  35. ↑ Daniel Keane: Tory MP Imran Ahmad Khan guilty of sexually assaulting 15-year-old boy, 11 April 2022 
  36. ↑ Emily Atkinson: Tory MP Imran Ahmad Khan found guilty of sexually assaulting 15 year-old boy In: The Independent, 11 April 2022 
  37. ↑ Imran Ahmad Khan expelled from Conservative party In: the Guardian, 11 April 2022 
  38. ↑ Imran Ahmad Khan: What could happen to MP after his conviction? In: The Independent. 11. April 2022;.
  39. ↑ Tory Crispin Blunt criticised for 'disgraceful' comments on jury conviction of fellow MP Imran Ahmad Khan. In: Sky News.
  40. ↑ Blunt’s criticism of Imran Ahmad Khan verdict sparks fury among MPs. In: the Guardian. 11. April 2022;.
  41. ↑ Wakefield Parliamentary constituency, BBC. Abgerufen im 13 December 2019 
  42. ↑ Imran Ahmad Khan: Tory MP guilty of sexually assaulting 15-year-old boy at house in 2008. In: Sky News. Abgerufen am 11. April 2022 (englisch).
  43. ↑ Imran Ahmad Khan: MP guilty of sex assault on 15-year-old boy In: BBC News, 11. April 2022 (britisches Englisch). 
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