Apsana Begum

Apsana Begum, the Labour member for Poplar and Limehouse since the 2019 general election, has lived in the constituency her entire life. Begum grew up on Tarling East Estate, attended local primary and secondary schools, and attended nearby Queen Mary University of London. Begum is an avowed socialist whose candidacy was strongly endorsed by Momentum. Begum has been a member of Labour’s London executive committee as well as secretary and vice-chair for membership of the Poplar and Limehouse CLP. Her majority in the seat is a comfortable 28,904. Begum replaced long-serving Labour member Jim Fitzpatrick, who retired after 22 years in parliament. Begum has campaigned particularly on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on BAME communities. In October 2020, the thirty-year-old MP was charged by Tower Hamlets council with housing fraud after failing to disclose a prior application for council housing. She vigorously denies the charges. Begum was also embroiled in Labour’s anti-semitism scandal after being named in a Campaign Against Antisemitism letter to her party’s leadership. The lobby group argued she had violated Labour’s anti-racism policies when she minimised the scale internal anti-semitism and shared social media content targeting “Zionist masters”.