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London: Prime Minister Keir Starmer has appointed Shabana Mahmood, a Kashmiri and Pakistani-born politician, as the UK’s new Home Secretary — a historic milestone as she becomes the first individual from a Pakistani and Muslim background to hold this influential role within the Home Office. The announcement followed Angela Rayner’s resignation from her role as Deputy Prime Minister amid a scandal involving her apartment. The Home Office manages immigration, law enforcement, and national security.
“I’m truly honored to serve as Home Secretary. Ensuring the safety of our citizens is the government’s top priority, and I am committed to that duty every day,” Mahmood stated.
Born in Birmingham in 1980 to Kashmiri-Pakistani parents, Zubaida and Mahmood Ahmed, Mahmood’s family originally hail from Mirpur in Azad Kashmir. Decades ago, her family moved to Jhelum’s Bohriyan village near Ludhar. Mahmood spent part of her childhood in Saudi Arabia before returning to the UK. She studied law at Lincoln College, Oxford, and qualified as a barrister specializing in professional indemnity law.
In 2010, she launched her political career when she was elected as a Member of Parliament representing Birmingham Ladywood, becoming one of the UK’s first Muslim women MPs. Since then, she has served in various prominent roles, including Shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Shadow Minister for Prisons.
Last year, Mahmood discussed with Geo News the harassment and intimidation she has endured from segments of the local Pakistani community. Since her appointment as Home Secretary, she faces intensified racist and Islamophobic abuse from far-right extremists.
Following her victory in the 2024 elections, she was named Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor, introducing initiatives to reduce prison overcrowding and clear court backlogs. Recently, she proposed significant reforms to the UK justice system, including new legislation aimed at overhauling prisons.
As Home Secretary, Mahmood faces considerable pressure over issues such as increasing Channel crossings, asylum hotel management, and immigration policies. Last year, she also led efforts as Justice Secretary to address prison overcrowding and proposed changes to accelerate the deportation of non-custodial foreign offenders, emphasizing stricter enforcement of immigration laws.
Her appointment has garnered praise from political figures like Lord Glasman of Blue Labour, who called her appointment “fantastic” and noted that she now clearly leads their faction within the party.
Throughout her public service, Mahmood has been open about the challenges faced by Muslim women in politics. In Birmingham, she encountered misinformation, fake news, and misogynistic hostility, often targeting her through social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. She has expressed that her experiences motivate her commitment to public service and to representing Muslim women.
Regarding ongoing conflicts such as the Israel-Palestine situation, she condemns violence against innocent civilians and advocates for a two-state solution as the only path to peace. Mahmood emphasizes the Labour Party’s stance on this grassroots resolution as the way forward to resolve longstanding tensions in the region.
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