Khalid Mahmood (born 13 July 1961 in Kashmir, Pakistan) is a Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom. He has been Member of Parliament for Birmingham Perry Barr since the 2001 general election.

He is a graduate of UCE Birmingham and a former engineer with a trade union background. He was a Birmingham City Councillor from 1990-1993, resigning his seat after leaving the city to work in Kuwait^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] Political career

His selection for the Perry Barr seat caused controversy; one of the constituency's ward associations passed a motion of no confidence in Mahmood.^[1]

Though Khalid held the seat for Labour in 2001, his share of the vote fell by 16.5%, much of which went to the Liberal Democrat candidate Jon Hunt, who ran on an 'anti-sleaze' ticket to no avail.^[2] Mahmood subsequently increased his share of the vote slightly at the 2005 election, though his majority fell by 805 votes.

Khalid rarely rebels against the labour party and voted in agreement with Tony Blair 93.1% of the time during the previous parliament.^[3] He has voted strongly for the introduction of national ID cards, student top-up fees, labours anti-terrorism laws and he voted very strongly against investigating the iraq war.^[4]

He served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Home Office Minister Tony McNulty from 10 November 2005 until 6 September 2006, when he resigned after signing a letter calling for Prime Minister Tony Blair to step down.^[5]

[edit] The Five Myths Muslims Must Deny

In November 2001, an article was published under Mahmood's name supportive of the war against Afghanistan headlined The Five Myths Muslims Must Deny: "Our obligation," the article stated, "is to separate myth from reality, lies from truth and start making clear judgments on where we see our duty, responsibility and future."^[6] A few days later, however, it was revealed that the Observer article had not in fact been written by Mahmood, but by Labour Friends of Israel Policy Council member and then Foreign Office minister, Denis MacShane; Mahmood agreed to put his name to the article after Lord Ahmed of Rotherham refused. Mahmood's actions were condemned by Inayat Bunglawala from the Muslim Council of Britain, who said: "MacShane then found Mahmood – universally regarded as being not exactly the brightest spark in parliament – to be a more willing instrument for his scheme."^[6]

[edit] UK MP expenses row

In May 2009 it was revealed, as part of a series of leaked UK MPs expense details, that Mahmood claimed for £1,350 to stay in a five-star west London hotel with his girlfriend.^[7] Mr Mahmood also admitted claiming more than £35,000 in expenses for food over the course of his eight years as an MP.^[8]

[edit] The 2009 Birmingham, Millennium Point stampede

The Cabinet Member for Leisure, Sport & Culture blamed the near tragedy on bad weather and a failure of the fencing at the pop-concert for the insodent, but local MP for Perry Barr, but local MP for Perry Barr, Khalid Mahmood blamed Birmingham City Council for what had happened at the ill fated The 2009 Birmingham, Millennium Point stampede.^{[9][10] [11] [12] [13]}

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• The Labour Party - Khalid Mahmood MP official biography
• Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Khalid Mahmood MP
• TheyWorkForYou.com - Khalid Mahmood MP
• Letter signed by Mahmood calling for Tony Blair's resignation
• Mahmood resigns from government post, 6 September 2006