Naseem Shah was born on 13 November 1973 inBradford.[5] Her father left the family when she was six years old. At age 12, she was sent toPakistan by her mother, Zoora Shah, to escape her mother's abusive partner, where she had anarranged marriage.[5][6]
When she was 20, her mother, who had been sexually and physically abused by her partner for over a decade, was convicted of murdering him, and served 7 years in prison.[6][7]
Early career
Before being elected as an MP, Shah was the chair of mental health charity, Sharing Voices Bradford, and had previously worked as a carer for disabled people, as anNHS Commissioner and a director for a regional association supporting local councils.[8]
In April 2016, Shah was reported to have reposted in August 2014 a Facebook post with a map fromNorman Finkelstein's website showing Israel superimposed on the United States, with the headline "Solution for Israel–Palestine conflict – relocate Israel into United States".[22][23] She had added the comment that this might "save them some pocket money" (i.e. US funding for Israel).[24][25] Finkelstein defended the map as humorous.[26] Shah responded that her views on Israel had moderated, and stepped down asJohn McDonnell's PPS.[27][28]Jeremy Corbyn condemned her posted comment as "offensive and unacceptable". She was suspended from the Labour Party that month, pending investigation.[29][30] In July, she was reinstated but given a formal warning for bringing the party into disrepute and told to apologise.[31] Shah said she had shown "ignorance", and said that the post was antisemitic but she was not.[32]
2nd term (2017–2019)
At the snap2017 general election, Shah was re-elected as MP for Bradford West with an increased vote share of 64.7% and an increased majority of 21,902.[33][34]
In August 2017, Shah retweeted and liked a tweet from a 'parody' account claiming to belong to Labour memberOwen Jones that read: "Thoseabused girls in Rotherham and elsewhere just need to shut their mouths. For the good of diversity".[35] Shah deleted the retweet and unliked the original tweet. A spokesperson said: "This was a genuine accident eight days ago that was rectified within minutes."[36][37] Shah also claimed to have a record on challenging abuse.[35]
In April 2018, followingWinnie Madikizela-Mandela's death, Shah paid tribute by tweeting an image incorporating Mandela's quote: "Together, hand in hand, with our matches and ournecklaces, we shall liberate this country", a reference to murders using petrol and tyres.[38] She later deleted the tweet.[39][38]
In July 2018, Shah was appointed Shadow Minister of State for Women and Equalities.[40][41]
3rd term (2019–2024)
Shah was again re-elected at the2019 general election with an increased vote share of 76.2% and an increased majority of 27,019.[42]
On 1 October 2020, the pro-Brexit groupLeave.EU apologised and paid damages for libel to Shah after they made a social media post which accused her of being a "grooming gangs apologist". In a statement, Leave.EU said that their post was "ill-judged and untrue" and described Shah as a "vociferous campaigner for victims of grooming gangs".[43]
During a 14 June 2021 parliamentary debate on whether to implement two petitions on economic sanctions against Israel and on recognising theState of Palestine, Shah warned the incoming Israeli Prime Minister,Naftali Bennett, that "if any more Palestinian blood is unjustly spilled under a perverted interpretation of a right to self-defence" that she would push for Israel to be tried before theInternational Criminal Court forwar crimes.[44][45][46]
4th term (2024–)
At the2024 general election, Shah was again re-elected, with a decreased vote share of 31.6% and a decreased majority of 707, down from just over 27,000 at the previous election.[47][48]
During the early 2010s, Shah was injured in ahit-and-run collision, which has left her with ongoing periodic severe nerve pain which requires hospitalisation.[50]
