Imran Hussain is the Labour MP for Bradford East, having first been elected to parliament at the 2015 general election.

In the 2024 general election, Hussain received 14,098 votes (37.9%). An Independent candidate (Talat Sajawal) came second with 7,909 votes (21.3%), and the Reform UK candidate secured 4,952 votes (13.3%). Hussain was duly elected with a majority of 6,189.

The Bradford East constituency covers the eastern side of the city of Bradford in West Yorkshire. It includes areas such as Bradford Moor, Eccleshill, Idle, Thackley, and Little Horton. It is described as densely populated, with a significant proportion of residents of Asian descent.

Hussain’s immediate predecessor as the MP for Bradford East was David Ward of the Liberal Democrats, who represented the seat from 2010 to 2015.

Political Career

On 23 July 2024, Hussain had the Labour whip withdrawn and was suspended from the parliamentary party for six months after voting for an Scottish National Party (SNP) amendment to the King’s speech calling on the new Labour government to scrap the two-child benefit cap.

In a subsequent statement, Hussain said he was “disappointed” to have had the whip suspended, but maintained it was “important” he stood up for his constituents “who are amongst the worst affected by a policy that every organisation fighting child poverty has urged the government to scrap.”

He added: “The two-child limit is one of the biggest factors driving the soaring child poverty rate that sees almost half of all children in Bradford East living in homes that are unable to make ends meet.”

https://x.com/Imran_HussainMP/status/1815868549287584022?lang=en-GB

Hussain included, seven Labour MPs were suspended from the parliamentary party for supporting the SNP amendment – namely Zarah Sultana, John McDonnell, Apsana Begum, Richard Burgon, Ian Byrne and Rebecca Long-Bailey.

In February 2025, the whip was restored to four of those suspended MPs – Hussain, as well as Burgon, Byrne and Long-Bailey. However, Begum, Sultana and McDonnell remained as independent MPs because they had continued to be critical of the government, reports and briefings indicated.

Previously, Hussain served on the Labour opposition frontbench under Keir Starmer’s leadership. He was shadow minister for the “new deal for working people” from September 2023 to November 2023, shadow minister for employment rights from April 2020 to September 2023.

Hussain resigned from the frontbench in November 2023, stating he wished to be a stronger advocate for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza than the party’s position allowed at the time.

In his resignation letter, Hussain wrote: “It has become clear that my view on the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza differs substantially from the position you have adopted.

“I believe the party needs to go further and call for a ceasefire.”

He added: “As I write, more than 1,400 Israeli and over 10,000 Palestinian civilians have been killed in the last month. This shocking number of fatalities is set to grow as indiscriminate attacks and the siege of Gaza continues.”

https://x.com/Imran_HussainMP/status/1722030570811560348

Hussain also said he was “deeply troubled” by Starmer’s comments on the conflict in an LBC Radio interview – in which the Labour leader appeared to suggest that cutting off water and power to Gaza was an appropriate response by Israel.

Hussain went on to add his name to an early day motion, tabled by Labour MP Richard Burgon, which called for an “immediate de-escalation and cessation of hostilities”.

In November 2023, Hussain was among 56 Labour MPs to vote in favour of a Scottish National Party (SNP) amendment to the King’s Speech in the House of Commons calling for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza – defying the instruction set out by the party’s frontbench. Labour had tabled its own motion, making a more moderate appeal for a “humanitarian pause” in the conflict and ordered its representatives to support that stance.

During Jeremy Corbyn’s tenure as Labour leader, Hussain served as shadow minister of state for justice from July 2017 to April 2020 and shadow minister of state for international development from January 2016 to July 2017.

Hussain was a member of the House of Commons regulatory reform committee from October 2015 to May 2017.

Hussain is listed as a member of the all-party parliamentary groups (APPGs) for boxing, Kashmir and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Hussain delivered his maiden speech on 17 June 2015 during a debate on skills and growth. In it, he said: “We cannot fail our young people any longer. They are the future, and we cannot be in the same place 10 years from now, having failed another generation of young people, having debates about the failure of education in our great city.

“They have the potential and the talent to make the city a dynamic, forward-looking, wealth-creating city. We just need to unleash it.”

He added: “I have fought against injustice my whole life, not just within Bradford but wherever that may be in the world, and I will be a strong voice in this chamber for the struggle of the sons and daughters of Kashmir, the suffering of the Palestinians and, as we have heard in this chamber over the last few weeks, the plight of the Rohingya.”

Hussain previously stood unsuccessfully as the Labour candidate for Bradford West in a March 2012 by-election. He finished second to Respect Party candidate George Galloway on 8,201 votes (25.0%). Galloway, who has served as an MP for five separate constituencies, referred to the result as the “Bradford Spring”.

Before entering parliament, Hussain served as a Labour councillor on the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council from 2002 until 2018 (representing the Toller ward). He was deputy leader of the council’s Labour group from 2008 and served as deputy leader of Bradford Council from 2010 until his election as an MP in 2015.

Political Views

Leadership elections and loyalty

Starmer stand down: In May 2026, Hussain publicly called for Keir Starmer, the prime minister, to step down/set out a timetable for his departure. The move followed the 2026 local elections and devolved elections to the Scottish Parliament and Senedd Cymru.

Labour deputy leadership 2025: Hussain was one of 24 Labour MPs who nominated Bell Ribeiro-Addy for the party’s deputy leadership in September 2025. The election followed the resignation of Angela Rayner, who stepped down as deputy prime minister and deputy party leader after an investigation into her tax affairs. It marked the first time since 2007 that Labour had held a deputy leadership contest while in government.

Ribeiro-Addy, a member of the Socialist Campaign Group (SCG), was seen as the candidate on the left of the party. She secured only 24 nominations from the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), far short of the 80 required under rules introduced in 2021.

Labour leadership 2020: Hussain was one of 33 Labour MPs who nominated Rebecca Long-Bailey for the party’s leadership in early 2020. The election was triggered by the resignation of Jeremy Corbyn following the party’s defeat in the 2019 general election, which resulted in Labour’s fewest seats in the House of Commons since 1935.

Long-Bailey, then the shadow business secretary, was widely regarded as the continuity candidate for the party’s left/Corbynite wing. Long-Bailey finished second with 27.6% of the vote, losing to Keir Starmer, who won a decisive victory in the first round with 56.2%.

Labour leadership 2015: Hussain was one of 36 Labour MPs who nominated Jeremy Corbyn for the party’s leadership in June 2015. The election followed the resignation of Ed Miliband after the party’s defeat in the 2015 general election. It was the first contest held under the “one member, one vote” system, which replaced the previous electoral college.

Corbyn, a veteran backbencher, secured the 36 nominations required – just one over the threshold – but only after several MPs lent him their support to ensure a broader ideological debate. His anti-austerity platform gained significant momentum, and he won a landslide victory in the first round with 59.5% of the vote.

Corbyn loyalty list: In March 2016, Hussain was labelled as “core group” by the Corbyn leadership in a leaked list which categorised Labour MPs by their perceived loyalty. This label suggested the Corbyn leadership viewed Hussain as among its closest allies, even as an inner circle member.

Labour leadership 2016: Hussain was one of the minority of Labour MPs who endorsed Jeremy Corbyn during his successful defence of the party leadership in September 2016. The election was triggered following a period of intense tension after the EU referendum, which saw a wave of shadow cabinet resignations and a vote of no confidence supported by 172 MPs.

Corbyn, who was automatically included on the ballot as the incumbent, was challenged by Owen Smith, the former shadow work and pensions secretary. Corbyn won the election with an increased mandate, securing 61.8% of the vote compared to 38.2% for Smith.

Factional identity and party tradition

Socialist Campaign Group: Hussain has been listed as a member of the Socialist Campaign Group (SCG) – the standard-bearer of the left wing within the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP). Founded in 1982 by followers of Tony Benn, the group has traditionally advocated policies such as widespread public ownership, wealth redistribution and strengthened trade union rights.

https://x.com/socialistcam/status/1220087936403804161

Leader of the left letter: In May 2015, Hussain was among 10 newly elected Labour MPs who penned an open letter calling on the party to embrace a decisive break from New Labour. In the letter, the MPs called for a leader who will “challenge an agenda of cuts, take on the powerful vested interests of big business and will set out an alternative to austerity.”

Brexit and Europe

Brexit referendum: Hussain supported the Remain campaign in the 2016 referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union (EU), and therefore disagreed with a majority of his constituents, 55.2% of whom voted to Leave.

Article 50: In February 2017, Hussain voted in favour of the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill. The legislation empowered the prime minister to notify the Council of the European Union of the UK’s intention to withdraw, formally triggering the process set out in Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. MPs supported the bill by 498 votes to 114 at second reading.

Customs union vote (2025): In December 2025, Hussain voted in favour of the UK-EU Customs Union (Duty to Negotiate) Bill. The bill, introduced under the 10-minute rule procedure by Liberal Democrat Europe spokesperson Al Pinkerton, sought to mandate the government to enter into negotiations with the European Union to establish a bespoke customs union. In total, 13 Labour MPs joined the Liberal Democrats in supporting the motion, while the majority of the party abstained.

Welfare

Welfare ‘reasoned amendment’ (June 2025): Hussain was one of the over 120 Labour MPs to sign the reasoned amendment to the government’s flagship welfare bill which aimed to reject the proposed legislation.

The amendment, in the name of senior Labour MP Dame Meg Hillier, objected to the fact that the bill had not been subject to a “formal consultation with disabled people” and that “250,000 people will be pushed into poverty” as a result of it, according to a government impact assessment.

The motion also called on the government to wait for the publication of the review into the Personal Independence Payment (Pip), helmed by minister Sir Stephen Timms, and the independent review, conducted by Sir Charlie Mayfield, into how the employment of disabled people could be boosted.

In May 2025, Hussain had signed a letter warning the government that the cuts were “impossible to support” and calling for a change in direction.

The letter, signed by 42 Labour MPs, read: “The planned cuts of more than £7bn represent the biggest attack on the welfare state since George Osborne ushered in the years of austerity and over 3 million of our poorest and most disadvantaged will be affected.

“Whilst the government may have correctly diagnosed the problem of a broken benefits system and a lack of job opportunities for those who are able to work, they have come up with the wrong medicine. Cuts don’t create jobs, they just cause more hardship.”

Speaking during the welfare bill’s second reading debate, Hussain stated his firm opposition to the bill – arguing that “we cannot balance the books on the backs of some of the most vulnerable people in our society”.

He also strongly criticised the government’s handling of the legislation, describing the process as “disrespectful” and slamming the “piecemeal” way in which concessions had been revealed to backbenchers.

He called on ministers to show “courageous political leadership” by withdrawing the bill for proper consultation, insisting that the series of last-minute concessions was “admission enough that we have got this wrong”.

In a powerful contribution, he added: “I have always promised my constituents in Bradford East that I will never vote for anything that will increase poverty and deprivation or deepen the health inequalities in my constituency, because it is not this place that sends me to Bradford, but the people of Bradford who send me to this place.

“I will remain true to them, I will remain accountable to them, and I will make sure that their voice is heard. I will be voting for the amendment, and I will be voting against the bill today.”

Welfare vote (July 2025): Hussain went on to vote against the bill at second reading. The vote came after ministers agreed to significant concessions to avoid defeat via a mass rebellion of Labour MPs on 1 July 2025.

Winter fuel payment EDM: In September 2024, Hussain signed an early day motion (EDM) expressing concern over the government’s proposed changes to the winter fuel payment. The motion called on the government to “postpone the ending of winter fuel payments and establish a comprehensive strategy to tackle fuel poverty, health inequality and low incomes among older people.”

Welfare vote (July 2015): Alongside almost one quarter of his colleagues, Hussain voted against the Conservative government’s Welfare Reform and Work Bill at second reading – defying the party whip which instructed Labour MPs to abstain. This decision to abstain, taken by interim Labour leader Harriet Harman, caused a furious backlash within the party, particularly from its left wing. It became a defining issue in the ongoing leadership contest. Jeremy Corbyn was the only candidate to vote against the bill. Overall, 48 Labour MPs voted against the proposed legislation.

Assisted dying

Hussain voted against the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, better known as the assisted dying bill, at both second reading (November 2024) and third reading (June 2025).

In a statement setting out his position, issued ahead of the bill’s second reading, Hussain expressed his concerns about the proposed legislation’s “unintended consequences”.

He wrote: “The risk remains that this bill opens the door to unintended consequences, including subtle or overt pressure on vulnerable individuals, particularly the elderly, disabled, or those with limited resources, to see assisted dying as an option to avoid becoming a burden.

“Despite proposed safeguards, there is no guarantee that coercion or societal pressures could be mitigated.”

He added: “I am also concerned about the impact on our efforts to improve end-of-life care. Rather than focusing on providing universal access to high-quality palliative care and pain management, the legalisation of assisted dying risks diverting resources and attention from this critical area.”

https://x.com/Imran_HussainMP/status/1862495058026512563

Foreign policy and security

Trident renewal (2016): Hussain voted against a government motion calling for the renewal of the Trident nuclear deterrent system in July 2016. The motion, which was passed by 472 votes to 117, committed the UK to constructing a new fleet of submarines to carry the nation’s nuclear weapons. Labour was split over the issue with 140 of its 230 MPs going against leader Jeremy Corbyn and backing the motion.

Syria airstrikes (2015): Hussain voted against a government motion to extend UK airstrikes against Isis from Iraq into Syria in December 2015. The motion, which was passed by 397 votes to 223 after a ten-hour debate in the House of Commons, authorised the RAF to conduct strikes against Isis targets in Syria.

Hussain opposed the 2003 invasion of Iraq, introducing a motion against it on Bradford Council.

In March 2015, during his successful campaign to become the Labour MP for Bradford East, Hussain rejected a £1,000 donation from the former prime minister, Tony Blair.

A spokesperson for Hussain commented: “He won’t be accepting it. It’s a matter of public record that he was opposed to the Iraq War. In light of that it would not be right to accept that money and in any case we, like others, are still awaiting the outcome of the Chilcot Inquiry.”

Palestine

LFPME: Hussain has been listed as a member of Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East (LFPME). The organisation’s stated aim is to promote peace and justice in the region through the application of international law and respect for human rights.

Palestine Action vote: In July 2025, Hussain was one of 26 MPs to vote against the proscription of Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act 2000. The ban, passed by 385 votes to 26, came after the Home Office accused the group of “aggressive and intimidatory attacks against businesses, institutions and the public”. However, civil liberties organisations argued proscription represented an overreach of state power and a threat to the right to protest.

Palestinian recognition letter (July 2025): In July 2025, Hussain was among the over 254 MPs to sign a cross-party letter calling for the government to immediately recognise the state of Palestine. The letter called on the prime minister and foreign secretary to recognise Palestine at the UN Conference then taking place in New York.

Before Politics

Born in Bradford, West Yorkshire on 7 June 1978, Imran Hussain attended local state schools. He studied law at the University of Huddersfield and subsequently qualified and worked as a barrister.

In his 2015 maiden speech, Hussain spoke of his time working in Morrisons supermarket.

He told the House: “I started work at the age 15, sweeping floors at Morrisons supermarket in Bradford. By the age of 17, I was appointed to the prestigious and much sought after position of head of the toiletries aisle.

“[MPs] will note that I was even given my very own brush.”