Congratulations Preet Gill, UK’s First Female Sikh MP
Preet Gill of Friday was selected as the first female Sikh MP to be elected in the Houses of Parliament. She won by the majority of 6,917 by securing 24,124 votes on the seat in Birmingham Edgbaston for the Labour Party. She was followed by Conservative Caroline Squire with 17,207 votes.
An Impressive Lady, Preet Gill
Preet Gill, age 44, a Sikh women who is born and raised in Edgbaston. She holds a first class honor’s degree in Sociology and Social Work from University of East London. In her final year, she did a research in New Delhi working with street children. She has also spent time with the ‘widow’s colony’ in Delhi. She is currently a Labor Councilor in Sandwell. She got selected as a Councilor for the Labor Party in 2012. Though there are a quarter of Sikh in the Sandwell’s population, but she is the only female Sikh woman the 72 councilors. She is also Vice Chair of Children’s Scrutiny. She is the Director of Spring Social Housing Board and is also a Bank Inspector for Care Quality Commission. With all this, she is also a Vice Chair person of West Midlands Race. Her major works are under human rights issues, it can be local or national matters.
Being a Sikh, she has always been involved in Sikh network events. She has brought forward Sikh and female representatives in the politics and has spoken publically on various events. On Friday, she secured her position, earlier held by Gisela Stuart. Gill, when got selected as the next MP, said “I am delighted I have been given the opportunity to become the next MP for Edgbaston where I was born and raised. I want to engage with the people of Edgbaston and with hard work, passion and determination I think we can achieve great things together.”
Father Was A Bus Driver
Her father was a bus driver who came in Birmingham in 1950 and started working in a factory. He later became the foreman and afterwards a bus driver over the 11 number route in the city. “He was president of the Smethwick gurdwara… and was involved in the community. He was very passionate and active and always said you should contribute and try to give something back. He encouraged me to ‘make a difference’ and to get the new generation to take on the mantle of serving their local community for a better Britain,” said Preet. “He died three years ago but he would have been immensely proud of me becoming an MP,” she added.
Gill has also served as a Board Member of Sikh Network. She believes this has given a raise to her political profile by giving her a unique platform and opportunity in the last two years. Bhai Amrik Singh, the chair of the Sikh Federation (UK), said “I have known Preet and the family for over 30 years and she will be an amazing representative for those living in Edgbaston. We have full confidence that she will become the first ever Sikh woman in the House of Commons and we will do all we can to support her succeed. In the last general election, we made a real difference in certain seats and the political parties know we can motivate large numbers on the ground to have an impact.”
Preet Gill says, “As a mother of two young girls I am regularly asked how I balance all this. You have to love what you do. I feel honoured that I can serve others and being in local government has enabled me to do that in a more meaningful way than I could ever imagine.”
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