Campaign Stories Ealing Southall Result: General Election,  May 2005 Current Cand. Party 2005 2001 Piara Khabra Lab 22,937 22,239 Nigel Bakhai LibDem 11,497 4,680 Mark Nicholson Con 10,147 8,556 -  (prev. A.Lit) Ind - 5,764 Sarah Edwards Green 2,175 2,119 Malkiat Bilku WRP  289 - � Related links London Labour Party Ealing Southall Conservatives Ealing Southall LibDems Ealing Green Party "They work for you" - political web site holding information about voting records and interests of MPs Sign Up For EalingToday.co.uk

The broad constituency of Ealing Southall, which stretches from Southall across to south of Ealing Broadway, has re-elected Britain's oldest MP, Piara Khabra (pictured right) at the age of 80 to the seat which he has represented since  1992. The Labour candidate won the seat on a slightly increased majority of 11,440.

Conservative candidate, Mark Nicholson, never stood much chance in this core labour seat and although he increased the number of votes going to the Conservatives, he dropped to third place with local activist Nigel Bakhai storming into second place gaining   24.4% of the votes for the LibDems. Mr Bakhai said:

" I would like to thank everyone who made this result possible - in particular those people who put up posters, delivered leaflets, gave donations and the many thousands who voted for me.  Mr Khabra may have been re-elected but I think the Liberal Democrats were the real winners in Ealing Southall and showed we are the real alternative to Labour in our area. Hopefully we can go one better next time."

In the last election Piara Khabra's majority for Labour was slashed from 32,791 to 22,239 mainly as a result of a clash with spectacularly successful independent Avtar Lit, chief executive of London's Sunrise Radio, who had strong local support. Mr Khabra's share of the vote then plummeted from 47.5% from 60%. He did not recover the lost Labour vote, which has divided itself between the Conservatives and LibDems, .

There was an increase in turnout compared to 2001, at 47,045 which represents 56.2% of those eligible to vote. In 2001 the corresponding figure was 46,828.

Mr. Khabra qualified and practiced as a teacher, and has also acted as a Justice of the Peace and Chairman of the Indian Workers Association. He keeps a low profile in parliament, speaking rarely and is not a member of many committees or groups, but takes up a large caseload on behalf of his constituency.

You can contact him by attending surgeries in Southall or by writing to him at the House of Commons.

May 9, 2005