Mohammad Sarwar

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For the Pakistani soldier, see Muhammad Sarwar.
Mohammad Sarwar MP
Mohammad Sarwar
Member of Parliament
for Glasgow Central
Glasgow Govan (1997-2005)
Incumbent
Assumed office 
1 May 1997
Preceded by Ian Graham Davidson
Born 18 August 1952 (1952-08-18) (age 55)
Pirmahal Pakistan
Nationality British
Political party Labour

Mohammad Sarwar (born 18 August 1952, Pirmahal Pakistan), in an Arain agriculturist family, is a politician in the United Kingdom, the Labour member of Parliament for Glasgow Central, Scotland. He was the UK's first Muslim MP.

He was first elected as the MP for Glasgow Govan in the 1997 general election, and was the first MP to swear the Oath of Allegiance on the Qur'an using the method laid out by the Oaths Act 1978.[1] Sarwar was suspended from holding office within the Labour Party in 1997 when he was charged with election offences,[2][3] but he was acquitted in 1999 and the suspension was lifted.[4]

He was re-elected in Glasgow Govan in the 2001 general election. The 2005 general election saw boundary changes in Scotland, so he fought and won the new constituency of Glasgow Central. He faced an opponent from the British National Party, with whom he refused to share a platform, and he persuaded other candidates to do the same. The returning officer announced the result from a platform with no candidates, and Sarwar later made a speech from the floor of the hall.

He is chairman of the Scottish Affairs Select Committee.

In August 2006 he was a signatory to an open letter to Tony Blair criticising the UK's foreign policy.[5]

He played a crucial role in bringing to justice the killers of Glasgow schoolboy Kriss Donald. The killers fled to Pakistan, who have no extradition treaty with the UK. Through his political connections Sarwar was able to agree a one-off, no conditions attached, extradition treaty. They then faced trial and were convicted for the brutal murder.

Sarwar has estimated assets of £16 million, mainly from the family wholesale cash and carry business, United Wholesale Grocers.[6].

In 2007 his son, Athif Sarwar, was convicted of an £850,000 missing trader fraud in a company, United Wholesale (Scotland) Limited, of which he was Managing Director.[7][8] Mohammad Sarwar was a remunerated director of the company,[9][10] but not involved in the fraud.

On 21 June 2007 Sarwar announced he would not stand again at the next general election.[11]

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[edit] References

  1. ^ The Parliamentary Oath, House of Commons Library, 14 February 2000, p. 10, Research paper 00/17, <http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp2000/rp00-017.pdf>. Retrieved on 5 June 2007 
  2. ^ Mohammad Sarwar MP indicted, Scottish Office, 30 September 1998, <http://www.scotland.gov.uk/news/releas98_3/pr1967.htm>. Retrieved on 5 June 2007 
  3. ^ "Internal Exile" for Sarwar, BBC - politics 97, 1997, <http://www.bbc.co.uk/politics97/news/06/0625/sarwar.shtml>. Retrieved on 5 June 2007 
  4. ^ MP cleared of bribery, BBC, March 25, 1999, <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/303647.stm>. Retrieved on 5 June 2007 
  5. ^ Minister criticises Muslim letter, BBC, 12 August 2006, <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4787119.stm>. Retrieved on 5 June 2007 
  6. ^ Bank Raises A Glass After Signing-Up United Wholesale Grocers, Clydesdale Bank, 21 February 2005, <http://www.cbonline.co.uk/0,,62356,00.html>. Retrieved on 5 June 2007 
  7. ^ MP's son guilty of huge cash scam, BBC, 24 May 2007, <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/6687889.stm>. Retrieved on 5 June 2007 
  8. ^ Kelly Fiveash (24 May 2007), MP's son guilty of VAT carousel fraud, The Register, <http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2007/05/24/sarwar_money_laundering_carousel/>. Retrieved on 5 June 2007 
  9. ^ Register of Members' Interests, House of Commons, 4 December 2003, <http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200203/cmregmem/memi25.htm>. Retrieved on 16 August 2007 
  10. ^ Changes to the Register of Members' Interests - Mohammad Sarwar, TheyWorkForYou, <http://www.theyworkforyou.com/regmem/?p=10528>. Retrieved on 16 August 2007 
  11. ^ Sarwar plans to stand down as MP, BBC News, 2007-06-21, <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/glasgow_and_west/6228920.stm>. Retrieved on 22 June 2007 
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Ian Graham Davidson		 MP for Glasgow Govan
1997–2005		 Succeeded by
(constituency abolished)
Preceded by
(new constituency)		 MP for Glasgow Central
2005 – present		 Incumbent