Just nine days after announcing he would be standing for George Galloway’s the Workers Party as a candidate in the Ealing Southall constituency, legendary cricketer Monty Panesar has said he is standing down.
Mr Panesar was revealed as a candidate outside Westminster on 30 April 2024.
On 8 May 2024 and via X (formerly known as Twitter), he said: “I realise I need more time to listen, learn and find my political home.”
In a series of three posts, he said:
“I’m a proud Brit who has had the honour to represent my country at the highest level of cricket. I now want to do my bit to help others but I recognise I am at the beginning of my journey and still learning about how politics can help people.
“So today I am withdrawing as a General Election candidate for The Workers Party. I realise I need more time to listen, learn and find my political home, one that aligns with my personal and political values.
I wish The Workers Party all the best but look forward to taking some time to mature and find my political feet so I am well prepared to deliver my very best when I next run up to the political wicket.”
Responding to the announcement, leader of Labour-run Ealing Council Councillor Peter Mason posted on X: “A wise and dignified decision. Ealing voted Labour last Thursday. They know when it comes to the crunch, it’s Labour that are truly on their side.”
The Workers Party is set to announce a new candidate as it will be standing people in all Ealing constituencies for the upcoming general election. The three constituencies Ealing Southall, Ealing North and Ealing Central and Acton are currently held by Labour.
In Ealing Southall, its new candidate will be standing against Virendra Sharma MP and Sameh Habeeb who was previously standing as an independent for Ealing North will be taking on James Murray MP.
A candidate for Ealing Central and Acton which is currently held by Dr Rupa Huq is due to be announced.
In the last general election in 2021, Mr Sharma retained his Ealing Southall seat with a 16,084 majority ahead of the Conservatives.
In the Ealing North elections, Mr Murray retained his seat with a 12,269 majority in front of the Conservatives.
Speaking to EALING.NEWS, Mr Habeeb said: “Ealing families are facing unprecedented challenges. The cost of living has skyrocketed, accessing basic healthcare has become a struggle, and our children are growing up in poverty—all under the watch of a Government and a local Labour MP who have repeatedly failed us.”
Mr Habeeb added: “Our current MP, expected to be a strong voice for us in Parliament, has instead become a puppet for the Labour party leadership, ignoring the severe issues such as Ealing’s hidden Child Poverty Crisis, soaring housing costs, and most shockingly, not turning up to vote against unjust welfare cuts. It is unacceptable that in one of the world’s richest cities, over 12,000 children in Ealing North live in poverty.”
