EXCLUSIVE: VAZ returns to fight for Leicester East
Labour's treatment of MP Diane Abbott ‘tipped' him to stand
By BARNIE CHOUDHURY Jun 06, 2024
THE first post-war south Asian MP to be elected to parliament, Keith Vaz, is to run for his old seat, Leicester East – as an independent.
The move will come as a big surprise to many in the world of politics, and it will cause fear among Labour ranks, sources have told Eastern Eye.
In a leaflet announcing his candidature he wrote, “Many people have asked me to stand again.
“I have decided to do so and accept the nomination of Leicester’s newest party, One Leicester, to be their candidate for one more term.
“Although I have always held Labour values, I promise to put Leicester first and politics second.”
Vaz knows what matters to people, his supporters said.
Campaign issues
Local people have signed a petition to try to force the Labour mayor, Peter Soulsby, to reverse a decision to abandon the Diwali lights switch-on – an event which is branded as the largest Hindu celebrations in Europe, and is in the heart of Leicester East.
“Today, I am shocked with what I see,” his leaflet continued. “Despite so many opportunities, Leicester is unrecognisable and on the edge of bankruptcy.
“The Labour mayor announced he will close the celebrated Leicester Market and end one of our most famous events, the Diwali switch on ceremony. Are the Christmas lights next?”
Vaz has also targeted Muslim voters – where both the main parties have lost support over the conflict in the Middle East.
Protesters hold images of children, as they take part in a National March For Palestine in London (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images)
“Millions of tax payers’ money has been spent on international wars.
“It is deplorable that both the Tories and Labour have identical policies on Gaza, where thousands have been killed.”
The council said that it wanted to be open about the fact that the cost of two events was ‘unsustainable’ and needed ‘alternative funding’.
Someone local
This is the second general election where Labour has brought in someone regarded as an outsider to contest the seat Vaz held for 32 years, until he decided to stand down in 2019.
The Leicester East branch of the Labour Party chose Rajesh Agrawal, who was London’s deputy mayor for business, last November.
“We just wanted someone local,” said one Leicester Labour Party member. “Surely, the party could have found someone here rather than parachute someone into what’s regarded as a safe seat.
“Everyone in Leicester East knows what a great constituency MP Keith is.
“No matter his flaws, he worked so hard for us.
“If we needed anything, we’d go to Keith, and he’d make our problems go away.”
Candidates have until 4pm on Friday (7) to throw their hat into this year’s general election ring.
The MP who replaced Vaz in 2019, Claudia Webbe, ran on a Labour ticket at that time.
Claudia Webbe (Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)
She had a majority of just over 6,000 – a drop of more than 10,000 votes.
Vaz won his eighth general election in 2017 with his largest majority – almost 23,000 – despite a police investigation which was dropped the previous year.
Kashmir
Today, Webbe is standing as an independent, after Labour threw her out in 2021 following her conviction for harassing a woman.
Another anonymous source said, “The problem Claudia had was that she wasn’t considered as local, even though she was born and brought up Leicester.
“Also, there was racism from south Asians, who didn’t take to her, and they never forgave her for chairing an event at the Labour Party conference in 2019 which criticised India over Kashmir.
“And add to that, she was no Keith, so no matter what Claudia did, she could never win hearts.”
His supporters said that Vaz has brand recognition which the others do not.
Six candidates had already announced their intention to fight for the seat, and Vaz now makes that seven.
Five of the candidates are south Asian, including one standing for the anti-immigration Reform UK.
Vaz supporters told Eastern Eye that they were confident their candidate could win because for the past five years he had been working for people in Leicester even though he was no longer their MP.
This paper reported how the former Europe minister took on De Montfort University when scores of Indian engineering students accused it of racism.
Past problems
But Vaz has had a chequered past while he was an MP.
An independent panel set up by parliament accused him of bullying a member of staff, and a national newspaper recorded him in a ‘sting’ operation offering to buy cocaine during a meeting with male escorts.
One Labour Party member, who spoke on the condition of anonymity said, “He’s maybe thought of as flawed, but he’s learnt from his mistakes.
“This is unfinished business for him, and he wants to do things right, so he isn’t remembered as the MP set up by the papers.”
But was there one thing which persuaded Vaz to stand again?
“What tipped the decision was the treatment of Diane Abbott,” he said.
Diane Abbott. REUTERS/Beresford Hodge
“I was elected with Diane.
“I don’t share all her political positions, but I regard her as a friend.
“She was treated so badly and without respect.
“It’s as if we have rolled back BAME [Black Asian Minority Ethnics] advancement of the past 30 years.
“Suddenly out of the blue, 30 years of loyalty to a party is wiped out.”
PAKISTAN may reconsider accepting two convicted leaders of the Rochdale child sexual abuse gang if direct flights between the UK and Pakistan are restored, a senior Pakistani official has said.
A judge had ordered their deportation to Pakistan, but both men renounced their Pakistani nationality just before their court appeals, effectively blocking the deportation process.
Since then, the UK has been unable to remove them, as Pakistan has refused to accept individuals without citizenship. Although courts have rejected their appeals multiple times, the two men remain in the country.
A senior official from Pakistan’s Foreign Office told The Times that talks are ongoing with British authorities, both over the deportation of the two men and the resumption of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights to the UK.
“This complex case involves several legal challenges, and we are currently in discussions with UK authorities, although no significant progress has been made yet,” the official said.
Direct flights by Pakistani airlines have been banned in the UK since 2021 due to concerns over aviation safety. The UK Civil Aviation Authority found that a number of Pakistani pilots had been flying with fraudulent licences. Pakistan has applied to be removed from the UK’s Air Safety List, but a decision is still pending.
British officials have insisted that the aviation review is entirely independent of the deportation issue.
Legal experts say deporting someone who has no nationality is generally against international law. However, UK law allows such deportations in limited cases, particularly if the home secretary believes the person may be eligible for another nationality.
Osama Malik, a UK-trained immigration lawyer, said it was unlikely Pakistan would accept Rauf and Khan without a change in their legal status.
“If these convicts have legally renounced their Pakistani citizenship, it would be very difficult for Pakistan to accept these deportations,” he was quoted as saying. “If they reapply for citizenship, they could be accepted, but that is unlikely.”
Malik also questioned the fairness of the approach: “They have lived most of their lives in Britain and have more ties to the UK than Pakistan. Once they’ve served their sentences, they should be treated like any other British convict.”
Meanwhile, former UK minister Michael Gove confirmed claims made by Dominic Cummings that civil servants had pressured him to stop The Times from publishing details about child sexual abuse in Rotherham. Speaking to GB News, Gove said some local officials believed the reporting could damage efforts to address the issue.
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Donald Trump walks out of the Oval Office before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on June 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
PAKISTAN government has announced that it will formally nominate US president Donald Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, citing his “decisive diplomatic intervention” during the recent military tensions between India and Pakistan.
The announcement was made on Saturday (21) on X, just days after president Trump hosted Pakistan Army Chief general Asim Munir at the White House.
The statement praised Trump’s role in defusing the situation that followed the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, India, on April 22. In response, India carried out targeted strikes on terrorist infrastructure across the border on May 7. This was followed by several days of retaliatory military action from both sides.
The hostilities ended on May 10 after the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan held direct talks. While India maintains that the ceasefire was the result of these direct communications, Pakistan credits Trump’s diplomatic involvement for halting the escalation.
“President Donald J Trump demonstrated great strategic foresight and stellar statesmanship,” the Pakistan government said, claiming that his engagement with both Islamabad and New Delhi helped “secure a ceasefire and avert a broader conflict between two nuclear states.”
Pakistan also praised Trump’s “sincere offers” to help resolve the Kashmir issue and called his actions a continuation of his “legacy of pragmatic diplomacy and effective peace-building.”
In response, President Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, expressing frustration over not receiving recognition for his peace efforts. “I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize no matter what I do,” he said, listing his involvement in conflicts across India-Pakistan, Russia-Ukraine, Serbia-Kosovo, and the Middle East.
He added that he recently brokered a peace agreement between Congo and Rwanda and described it as a “great day for Africa and the world.” Despite his achievements, Trump lamented, “No, I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize… but the people know, and that’s all that matters to me.”
Trump has repeatedly claimed that his administration helped stop a war between India and Pakistan. On May 10, he said that both countries had agreed to a “full and immediate” ceasefire after Washington’s intervention and suggested that the promise of future trade encouraged the nations to halt the conflict.
However, Indian officials strongly deny this claim. Foreign secretary Vikram Misri stated from Canada during the G7 Summit that there had been “no discussion, at any level, on a trade deal with the US or any American mediation.”
Misri confirmed that the decision to end military actions came through direct military channels and was initiated by Pakistan. Prime minister Modi has clearly stated that India does not and will never accept foreign mediation,” he said.
Meanwhile, former US National Security Advisor John Bolton weighed in on the controversy, suggesting Trump’s desire for the Nobel stems from the fact that former president Barack Obama received it in 2009.
“He won’t get it for solving the Russia-Ukraine war. He’s now unsuccessfully trying to claim credit for the India-Pakistan ceasefire,” Bolton posted on X.
During his meeting with General Munir, Trump publicly thanked him for not escalating the conflict and hinted at ongoing efforts to secure trade agreements with both India and Pakistan.
(PTI)
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Yoga Day celebrations in the UK (Photo: X/@HCI_London)
HUNDREDS of people gathered in central London on Friday (20) evening to mark the 10th International Day of Yoga, with King Charles III sending a special message of support for the ancient practice that continues to grow in popularity across Britain.
The celebration took place at an iconic square on the Strand, organised by the Indian High Commission in partnership with King's College London. High commissioner Vikram Doraiswami opened the proceedings by reading out the King's personal message from Buckingham Palace.
The 76-year-old monarch, who is known for his interest in yoga, praised the practice for promoting "global principles of unity, compassion and wellbeing".
He highlighted this year's theme, 'Yoga for One Earth, One Health', saying it reminds us "how vitally important it is that the world comes together to secure a happy and healthy future for present and future generations".
"Yoga is increasing in popularity across the UK year on year, with millions of people in our country reaping its benefits," the King's message read. "Yoga is a powerful means of enabling anyone to improve their physical and mental health and fosters a sense of wellbeing and togetherness within communities."
The London event featured expert-led sessions including traditional sun salutations and breathing techniques, with guidance from organisations including Heartfulness UK, Art of Living, and the Isha Foundation. The evening began with a musical performance by Bhavan UK and concluded with 'Samagam', a harmonious blend of yoga and dance.
Doraiswami reflected on the journey since 2014, when prime minister Narendra Modi first proposed the idea to the United Nations.
The initiative received support from 175 member states, making June 21 the official International Day of Yoga.
"Yoga speaks to a universal language, the idea of the commonality of the human experience," Doraiswami explained. "We all, no matter where we come from, how we look, how we pray, what we speak, our bodies need the same forms of healing."
Graham Lord, senior vice-president for Health and Life Sciences at King's College London, welcomed the partnership with the high commission.
"King's College London shares the values of community, wellness, inner calm and everything that yoga represents," he said, noting that this collaboration reflects the strengthening relationship between Britain and India.
The London celebration was part of worldwide commemorations that saw thousands of yoga enthusiasts roll out their mats across the globe.
India's prime minister Narendra Modi led the celebrations on Saturday (21) at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. The event, which spanned a 26-kilometre stretch from Ramakrishna Beach to Bhogapuram, saw participation from thousands of yoga enthusiasts.
Prime minister Narendra Modi takes part in a yoga session during International Day of Yoga celebrations, in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. (PMO via PTI Photo)
In his address, Modi said that yoga offers a path to peace amid rising global stress, unrest and instability. He urged the world to embrace yoga as a tool to move “from conflict to cooperation” and described it as “the pause button humanity needs — to breathe, to balance, to become whole again.”
This year’s theme, “Yoga for One Earth, One Health”, highlights the link between individual wellbeing and planetary health. Modi said the theme reflects the collective responsibility to ensure a healthy future for present and future generations.
He also noted India’s efforts to promote the science of yoga through modern research, with several leading medical institutions conducting studies on its benefits.
“Yoga is for everyone, beyond boundaries, backgrounds, age or ability,” he said, calling for a new phase of global engagement with yoga: “Yoga for humanity 2.0”. He also urged people to make yoga a part of their daily lives, saying it could be truly transformative.
Sharing photos from the event on social media, Modi wrote, “Yoga unites the world,” and expressed happiness at the widespread enthusiasm for yoga across the globe.
At the United Nations headquarters in New York, wellness guru Deepak Chopra led a special meditation session for over 1,200 participants, including diplomats, UN officials, and members of the diplomatic community.
In Times Square, described as "the crossroads of the world", approximately 10,000 people from various nationalities participated in seven yoga sessions throughout the day. Bollywood actor Anupam Kher attended the iconic New York celebration.
India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador P Harish, stressed the relevance of this year's theme during challenging times. "At a time when stress, lifestyle diseases and mental health challenges are on the rise, yoga offers a steady, time-tested path that helps one find calm within ourselves," he said.
The Indian Embassy in Beijing having to stop registrations after more than 1,500 people signed up for their event. Thousands participated in multiple yoga sessions across Chinese cities, including Shanghai and Guangzhou, where 300 people gathered on the banks of the Pearl River.
In Singapore, 300 participants celebrated at Supertree Lawn in the central business district. Minister of state Dinesh Vasu Dash told attendees: "In an increasingly divided world, we need more yoga to bring all of us together."
Thailand marked a particularly special milestone, having organised more than 30 yoga events across the country over the past 100 days leading up to the main celebration. Over 4,000 people performed the yoga protocol in unison at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.
Other notable celebrations took place in Japan at the historic Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple, attended by the spouses of the prime minister and foreign minister, and at UNESCO World Heritage sites in Nepal, including Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha.
From the banks of Nepal's scenic Phewa Lake to Australia's old Parliament House in Canberra, millions joined in celebrating yoga's message of physical and mental wellbeing.
(Agencies)
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Supporters of the assisted dying law for terminally ill people hold a banner, on the day British lawmakers are preparing to vote on the bill, in London, Britain, June 20, 2025. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes
PARLIAMENT voted on Friday (20) in favour of a bill to legalise assisted dying, paving the way for the country's biggest social change in a generation.
314 lawmakers voted in favour with 291 against the bill, clearing its biggest parliamentary hurdle.
The "Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life)" law would give mentally competent, terminally ill adults in England and Wales with six months or less left to live the right to choose to end their lives with medical help.
The vote puts Britain on course to follow Australia, Canada and other countries, as well as some US states, in permitting assisted dying.
Supporters say it will provide dignity and compassion to people suffering, but opponents worry that vulnerable people could be coerced into ending their lives.
The bill now proceeds to the upper chamber, the House of Lords, where it will undergo months of scrutiny. While there could be further amendments, the unelected Lords will be reluctant to block legislation that has been passed by elected members of the House of Commons.
Prime minister Keir Starmer's Labour government was neutral on the legislation, meaning politicians voted according to their conscience rather than along party lines. Starmer had previously said he was in favour of allowing assisted dying.
FILE PHOTO: Kim Leadbeater reacts during an interview about the Assisted Dying Bill in Westminster, London, Britain, October 15, 2024. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Opinion polls show that a majority of Britons back assisted dying. Friday's vote followed hours of emotional debate and references to personal stories in the chamber and followed a vote in November that approved the legislation in principle.
The vote took place 10 years after parliament last voted against allowing assisted dying.
Opponents of the bill had argued that ill people may feel they should end their lives for fear of being a burden to their families and society, and some lawmakers withdrew their support after the initial vote last year, saying safeguards had been weakened.
The 314 to 291 vote for the bill compared to the last November's result, which was 330 to 275 in favour.
In the original plan, an assisted death would have required court approval. That has been replaced by a requirement for a judgement by a panel including a social worker, a senior legal figure and a psychiatrist, which is seen by some as a watering down.
The Labour lawmaker who proposed the bill, Kim Leadbeater, said that the legislation still offered some of the most robust protections in the world against the coercion of vulnerable people.
Hundreds of campaigners both in favour and against the legislation gathered outside parliament on Friday to watch the vote on their mobile phones.
Those in favour chanted “my decision, my choice”, holding up posters that said “my life, my death” and photos of relatives who they said had died in pain.
Those against the legislation held up placards that said “let’s care not kill” and “kill the bill not the ill”.
(Reuters)
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An Air India Airbus A320-200 aircraft takes off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, India, July 7, 2017. Picture taken July 7, 2017.
INDIA’s aviation regulator has warned Air India for violating safety rules after three of its Airbus aircraft operated flights without undergoing mandatory checks on emergency escape slides, according to official documents reviewed by Reuters.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued warning notices and a detailed investigation report highlighting the breach. These documents were sent days before the recent crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8, in which all but one of the 242 people onboard were killed. The Airbus incidents are unrelated to that crash.
According to the DGCA report, spot checks carried out in May found that three Air India Airbus aircraft were flown even though scheduled inspections on the escape slides – considered “critical emergency equipment” – were overdue.
One Airbus A320 was flown for more than a month before the check was completed on 15 May. AirNav Radar data showed that the aircraft operated international flights during that period, including to Dubai, Riyadh and Jeddah.
In another case, an Airbus A319 used on domestic routes had slide checks overdue by over three months. A third case involved a plane where the inspection was two days late.
“The above cases indicate that aircraft were operated with expired or unverified emergency equipment, which is a violation of standard airworthiness and safety requirements,” the DGCA report stated.
The report also said Air India failed to respond on time to DGCA’s queries on the issue, which “further evidenc[ed] weak procedural control and oversight.”
Air India, which was acquired by the Tata Group from the government in 2022, said in a statement that it was “accelerating” verification of all maintenance records, including escape slide checks, and expected to finish the process soon.
In one case, Air India said the issue came to light after an AI Engineering Services engineer “inadvertently deployed an escape slide during maintenance.”
The DGCA and Airbus did not respond to requests for comment from Reuters.
Vibhuti Singh, a former legal expert at India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, said checks on escape slides are “a very serious issue. In case of accident, if they don’t open, it can lead to serious injuries.”
The DGCA report said aircraft that miss mandatory inspections have their airworthiness certificates “deemed suspended.”
The warning notices and report were issued by Animesh Garg, deputy director of airworthiness, and were addressed to Air India CEO Campbell Wilson, as well as the airline’s continuing airworthiness manager, quality manager and head of planning.
An Indian aviation lawyer told Reuters such breaches often lead to monetary and civil penalties for both the airline and individual executives.
Wilson said in a 2023 interview with Reuters that global parts shortages were affecting most airlines, but the problem was “more acute” for Air India, whose “product is obviously a lot more dated,” with many aircraft not updated since 2010-2011.
‘Systemic control failure’
The DGCA report said some Air India aircraft inspected by officials also had outdated registration paperwork. Air India told Reuters that all but one of its aircraft met the required standards and said this “poses no impact” to safety.
The report criticised the airline’s internal oversight systems, stating: “Despite prior notifications and identified deficiencies, the organisation’s internal quality and planning departments failed to implement effective corrective action, indicating systemic control failure.”
India’s junior aviation minister told parliament in February that airlines were fined or warned in 23 cases over safety violations last year. Of these, 12 involved Air India and Air India Express. One case involved “unauthorised entry into cockpit”, and the biggest fine – $127,000 – was imposed on Air India for “insufficient oxygen on board” during a San Francisco-bound flight.
Air India’s Chairman N Chandrasekaran addressed employees on Monday, calling on staff to remain focused amid criticism following last week’s crash and said the incident should serve as a catalyst to build a safer airline.