Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Tory candidate Marco Longhi under fire for ‘divisive’ letter to voters

Labour candidate Sonia Kumar said that she is “disappointed and shocked� by the “divisive� letter sent by Longhi

Tory candidate Marco Longhi under fire for ‘divisive’ letter to voters

A TORY candidate has been criticised for allegedly sending letters to British Pakistani voters, implying they should support him over his Labour opponent because of her Indian surname.

Marco Longhi, seeking re-election in Dudley North against Sonia Kumar, has faced accusations of employing dog-whistle politics and aiming to "marginalise British Hindus."


In a letter addressed to "voters of the British Pakistani/Kashmiri community in Dudley," Longhi posed the question of whether the Labour candidate would advocate for Kashmir in parliament, with Kumar's name highlighted in bold, capitalised, and underlined.

Calls have been made for prime minister Rishi Sunak to withdraw his backing of Longhi and denounce the letter.

Kumar, who is Sikh, told the BBC she is “disappointed and shocked” by the “divisive” letter sent by Longhi.

She expressed her objection to insinuating that she might not advocate for all her constituents based on her religious background and heritage.

“I work in our NHS as a physiotherapist, helping all the people of Dudley no matter what their background is," she was quoted as saying.

7965F8DB 6834 4E3C 9E0F F825294A70F11 Sonia Kumar (Photo: LDRS)

Anneliese Dodds, chair of the Labour Party, condemned the tactic, labeling it as "inappropriate, divisive, dog-whistle politics." She called on Rishi Sunak to take immediate action, asserting that failure to do so would expose his promises of professionalism and accountability as hollow, the Guardian reported.

Sunder Katwala, director of the British Future think tank, posted the letter on X and commented that historically, various parties have targeted voters based on ethnicity or faith, which he deemed unacceptable.

According to Katwala, any major political party should take disciplinary action against a candidate engaging in such tactics, describing them as inappropriate appeals to sectarian divisions.

He further criticised this specific instance for consciously employing prejudice against a rival candidate.

Lord Austin, who was the Labour MP for Dudley North from 2005 to 2019, said he had worked hard to fight racism and sectarian politics and to bring local people together.

Rajesh Agrawal, Labour's candidate for Leicester East, echoed Dodds' sentiments, describing the letter as a "shameful attempt" to divide the area Longhi claims to represent and offensive to both Muslim and Hindu communities.

Krish Raval, chair of Labour's group for Indians, also condemned the letter as "racist, dangerous, and wholly divisive." He criticised the prime minister for not addressing the divisive politics within his party.

Longhi defended his letter, said to GB News, "This is politics, isn’t it? Do you want someone who has consistently supported Kashmiris in the face of human rights abuses or someone named Sonia Kumar who no one has ever heard of?"

He also stressed community concerns over Kashmir and denied any intent to polarise by emphasising Kumar's surname without knowledge of her ethnicity or religious background.

Kumar, whose surname has Hindu origins, is a common Indian surname with the majority of holders residing in India as of 2014. It is commonly associated with the Hindu community but also used by some Sikhs.

According to reports, there is no record in Hansard of Longhi raising Kashmir in parliament since becoming MP in 2019.

More For You

Police Recover £1M Stolen Jewellery in Hounslow, Owners Sought

The jewellery was largely taken from London’s South Asian community in Hounslow between 2023 and 2024. (Photo: Met Police)

Stolen jewellery worth £1m recovered in Hounslow, police seek owners

POLICE are seeking to reunite stolen jewellery worth over £1 million with its rightful owners after recovering the items during a proactive operation across London and the home counties.

The recovered collection includes identifiable pieces such as a World War One officer’s Rolex watch, a gold locket containing old pictures, an engraved gold ring, and an engraved gold pocket watch from Harlow Bros Ltd.

Keep ReadingShow less
british-muslims

The initiative aims to track incidents, raise awareness of hate crime, and provide better victim support.

iStock)

Government announces fund to combat anti-Muslim hate

THE UK government has announced a new fund to monitor anti-Muslim hate and support victims, with applications opening on 7 April.

The initiative aims to track incidents, raise awareness of hate crime, and provide better victim support.

Keep ReadingShow less
Probe launched over racist broadcast at Kent asylum centre

FILE PHOTO: Entrance of Manston short-term holding centre for migrants, near Ramsgate in southeast England. (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)

Probe launched over racist broadcast at Kent asylum centre

AUTHORITIES have launched an investigation following reports that a racist message was broadcast over portable radios at an asylum processing centre in Kent.

The incident occurred at the Manston site, where small boat arrivals are processed by the Home Office and its contractor, Mitie, reported The Guardian.

Keep ReadingShow less
Protest against dog crackdown ahead of Modi's Sri Lanka visit

Sri Lankan animal rights activists take part in a demonstration in Colombo on April 3, 2025, to protest the round-up of stray dogs a day ahead of a visit by Narendra Modi. (Photo by ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images)

Protest against dog crackdown ahead of Modi's Sri Lanka visit

SRI LANKAN animal rights activists marched on Thursday (3) to protest the round-up of stray dogs a day ahead of a visit by Indian prime minister Narendra Modi.

Authorities in Colombo and the Buddhist pilgrim city of Anuradhapura have reportedly deployed dog catchers to impound hounds ahead of Modi's visit, which begins on Friday (4).

Keep ReadingShow less
modi-trump-getty

Donald Trump and Narendra Modi hold a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House on February 13, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Explained: Impact of US tariffs on Indian exports

The United States has announced a 27 per cent reciprocal tariff on Indian goods entering the American market.

Industry experts have said these duties will pose challenges for Indian exports, though India's position remains more favourable than some of its competitors.

Keep ReadingShow less