Tahir Ali | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Member of Parliament forBirmingham Hall Green and Moseley Birmingham Hall Green (2019–2024) | |
| Assumed office 12 December 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Roger Godsiff |
| Constituency | Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley |
| Majority | 5,656 (13.6%) |
| Member of Birmingham City Council forNechells Ward | |
| In office 10 June 2004 – 5 May 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Tariq Khan |
| Succeeded by | Lee Marsham |
| In office 6 May 1999 – 1 May 2003 | |
| Preceded by | T. Khan |
| Succeeded by | Tariq Khan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1971-10-15)15 October 1971 (age 54) Birmingham, West Midlands, England |
| Political party | Labour |
| Other political affiliations | Socialist Campaign Group |
| Children | 4 |
Tahir Ali (born 15 October 1971)[1][2] is a BritishLabour politician who has served as theMember of Parliament (MP) forBirmingham Hall Green and Moseley, previouslyBirmingham Hall Green, since2019.[3] On the political left, he is a member of theSocialist Campaign Group.
Tahir Ali was born on 15 October 1971 inBirmingham to Pakistani parents. He worked forRoyal Mail after securing an engineering apprenticeship at the age of 17.[1] He is an activetrade unionist and served as a political officer for theCommunication Workers Union.
Ali represented theNechells Ward onBirmingham City Council from 1999 and was last re-elected in 2018 to serve until 2022, when he did not seek re-election. He served as part of the council's cabinet from 2000 to 2003 and 2012 to 2016, (shadow cabinet 2004 to 2012) his responsibilities including local services, development, jobs, skills, transport and the economy.[4] In 2012, he was the only ethnic minority member of the team.[5]
In October 2019 Ali was selected as theLabourprospective parliamentary candidate forBirmingham Hall Green.[6] The candidate selection process was undertaken by theLabour Party's National Executive Committee.[7] The campaign was marred by intimidation from former MPRoger Godsiff's supporters, resulting in three police investigations, one arrest for malicious communications and police patrols outside polling stations.[8]
At the2019 general election, Ali was elected to Parliament as MP for Birmingham Hall Green with 67.8% of the vote and a majority of 28,508.[9]
He endorsedRebecca Long-Bailey in the2020 Labour Party leadership election andAngela Rayner in thedeputy leadership election.[10]
In April 2020, Ali was given a formal warning by police after he broke government restrictions by attending a funeral with up to 100 mourners during thecoronavirus pandemic.[11] West Midlands Labour Party Police commissionerDavid Jamieson also publicly condemned Ali's conduct, stating that his actions were "totally irresponsible" and that he "is not serving his constituents by endangering their lives".[12] Ali issued an apology stating that he only attended as an observer and would not be attending any other similar gatherings.[13]
Ali was a member of theEuropean Scrutiny Committee from March 2020 until May 2024. He was also a member of theJustice Committee from March 2023 until May 2024.[14]
Due to the2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies, Ali's constituency of Birmingham Hall Green was abolished, and replaced withBirmingham Hall Green and Moseley. At the2024 general election, Ali was elected to Parliament as MP for Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley with 30.8% of the vote and a majority of 5,656.[15][16]
In November 2024, he asked Prime Minister Keir Starmer to "commit to introducing measures to prohibit the desecration of all religious texts and the prophets of Abrahamic religions".[17]The Independent wrote that the question "raised concerns he was in effect calling for a blasphemy law", and noted that Starmer neither rejected the proposal nor mentioned a specific response.[18] TheNational Secular Society called such a proposal "deeply alarming".[19][20]
In March 2025, Ali was one of 20 MPs to sign a letter addressed to theprime minister of Pakistan, to build a new airport inMirpur, Azad Kashmir in order to save travel time for visitors from Britain. Figures including Labour ministerDan Jarvis,[21] and Conservative shadow ministerRobert Jenrick said that Ali and the other signees should have been focusing on domestic issues such as arefuse collection strike in Birmingham.[22]Kenan Malik ofThe Guardian noted that Ali had never voted in parliament on matters related towelfare reform orbenefits cuts, but had campaigned for this airport, and the introduction of blasphemy law.[23]
As of May 2025, Ali is the chair of theAll-Party Parliamentary Groups forKuwait,Turkey andYemen.[24]
Ali has been critical of the government ofNarendra Modi inIndia. In March 2021, he expressed his "absolute support for, and solidarity with, thefarmers protesting in India" and called forsanctions to be imposed on the government of India, citing the "abuse the human and civil rights not only of farmers, but ofKashmiri people through themilitary occupation of the region".[25] Ali further said that "political opponents of Modi in India are at risk of arbitrary arrest, and the civil liberties of all Indians are being eroded by an extremist, rightwing government".[26]
On 24 February 2022, following the 2022Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ali was one of 11 Labour MPs threatened with losing the party whip after they signed a statement by theStop the War Coalition which questioned the legitimacy ofNATO and accused the military alliance of "eastward expansion". All 11 MPs subsequently removed their signatures.[27]
He is a member ofLabour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East.[28] DuringPrime Minister's Questions on 24 January 2024, Ali stirred controversy around theGaza war. He asserted thatPrime MinisterRishi Sunak bore responsibility for "the blood of thousands of innocent people on his hands," sparking significant public and parliamentary attention.[29] In response to the backlash, Ali issued a formal apology on the same day, expressing regret for the choice of words, whilst maintaining his steadfast views on the Middle East. He acknowledged the need to apologise for the manner in which he described the Prime Minister.[30][non-primary source needed]
In 1989, at the age of 17, I secured an engineering apprenticeship with Royal Mail.
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forBirmingham Hall Green 2019–2024 | Constituency abolished |
| New constituency | Member of Parliament forBirmingham Hall Green and Moseley 2024–present | Incumbent |