Shabana Mahmood breaks barriers as first Muslim Lord Chancellor
Moments after Keir Starmer assumed office on July 5, Shabana Mahmood, smiling, entered 10 Downing Street, the official residence and office of the British Prime Minister, sparking speculation that she was destined for a cabinet appointment.
She was indeed named Lord Chancellor and Secretary for Justice in the new Labour government, a move that surprised critics who disapprove of her pro-Palestine and anti-Israel activism.
Her appointment also unsettled India, given her criticism of India’s policies in the Kashmir region writes Jafar Mugera.
Her historic appointment to the docket was hailed as a significant moment in British politics, as she became the first observant Muslim and second woman to occupy the Lord Chancellor’s office.
According to the official website of the British Parliament, the Lord Chancellor is one of the most ancient offices in the United Kingdom, appointed by the Monarch (King or Queen) on the advice of the Prime Minister, and serves as a senior member of the cabinet and head of the Ministry of Justice as the Secretary of State for Justice.
Born and raised in Birmingham to Zubaida and Mahmood Ahmed, the 43-year-old former barrister moved to Taif near Makkah in Saudi Arabia with her family between 1981 and 1986.
She studied Law at the University of Oxford’s Lincoln College and completed her bar vocational course at Inns of Courts School of Law in 2003.
In 2010, she was elected as MP for Birmingham Ladywood, replacing Clare Short, who served as Britain’s Secretary of State for International Development.
During the 14 years of Conservative dominance in UK politics, she served as Shadow Minister for Prisons, Shadow Minister for Higher Education, and Shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury.
She has faced criticism for her hardline stance against exposing children to homosexuality, particularly in 2019 when she opposed the inclusion of LGBTQ+ content in relationship and sex education in schools.
A passionate supporter of Palestinian rights, she has participated in pro-Palestine events since 2010 and advocates for Palestinian statehood and opposes Israel’s plans to annex Palestinian lands.
Although an ally to Starmer, she publicly disagreed with him on the issue of the ongoing conflict in Palestine.
While Starmer believes Israel has the right to deprive Palestinians in Gaza of water and power, Shabana insists that international humanitarian law must be followed.
In a letter to her constituents, she wrote, “I am unequivocally clear that wars have laws, and democracies have the responsibility to ensure international humanitarian law is followed at all times… If we do not feel pain and distress at the loss of innocent lives – whether Palestinian or Israeli, Muslim or Jewish – that is when we lose our humanity.”
Her letter failed to alleviate the concerns of the Muslim community in her constituency, who supported an independent candidate, Akhmed Yakoob, whom she defeated by a narrow margin.
Shabana takes pride in her Islamic faith, stating, “My faith is the centrepoint of my life, and it drives me to public service; it drives me in the way that I live my life and see my life.”
