Sojan Joseph, a mental health nurse in the National Health Service (NHS) who emigrated from Kerala 22 years ago, is among a new generation of Labour MPs elected to the House of Commons in this week’s UK general election.
Mr Joseph, 49, approached voters with his pledge to ensure more mental health services in his constituency and managed to break into the Conservative stronghold of Ashford in Kent, south-east England.
By defeating Tory veteran and former minister Damian Green, Mr Joseph also dealt a blow to the anti-immigration rhetoric of right-wing candidates in a seat where the far-right Reform UK came third behind the Tories.
In his acceptance speech on Friday, Mr Joseph said: “I am overwhelmed by the trust you have all placed in me and am fully aware of the responsibilities that come with it. I will work hard for everyone in Ashford, Hawking and the villages.”
Being a local councillor and BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) officer may have prepared the medical professional for this new parliamentary challenge. But a more than two-decade-long NHS career as a mental health nurse gives her the empathy she needs for her new job in parliament.
Furthermore, his connection to the local communities of Ashford, where he has lived with his wife and three children for over 15 years, is an additional motivation.
“I am very proud to call Ashford and Willesborough my home. I have taken part in a number of fundraising activities over the past few years, including running marathons for various charities and a dragon boat race for a local hospital charity,” said Mr Joseph, who has taken part in a number of international marathons for charity.
He further added, “I strongly believe in an inclusive society that works towards achieving the full potential of every individual in the community.”
Mr Joseph, who went to school in Kottayam, completed nursing at BR Ambedkar Medical College in Bengaluru. In the UK, he studied for a master’s degree in healthcare leadership, focusing on diversity and inclusion in public healthcare. Many voters described him as extremely passionate about improving access to mental and physical healthcare services for all during the campaign.
When he takes his seat in the Commons next week, he will be joined by several other first-time Labour MPs of Indian origin, reflecting a nationwide swing towards the party after the party led by Keir Starmer won a landslide majority to form a new government.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
