OBV man selected to fight Parliamentary seat

Cllr Singh Dhesi aiming high.

Just over a week ago in a closely-fought contest, Cllr Tanmajeet Singh Dhesi won the Labour nomination to be the Party's Candidate for Gravesham in the 2015 General Election.

Cllr Singh Dhesi, who has been a local government councillor since 2007, is currently chair of the local Labour party. Singh Dhesi came to local prominence after he took part in OBV’s MP Shadowing Scheme.

He rang OBV’s Assistant Director Francine Fernandes, with the most humble words:

We’ve done it! Thanks to OBV’s support along with others I can fight for a seat in Westminster, Francine."

He continued:

I want you and OBV to share in my latest success, and I promise you there's more to come."

The conversation quickly turned to the huge task ahead: If Cllr Dhesi is to win he must turn a big Conservative majority of 9,312 around.

But the quietly confident Desei stated:

Look, I’ve got 18 months to work the area I know and love, and have served as a local councillor. I’ll try and speak to almost everyone in the constituency including the 18,000 BME voters who could make the difference."

Since the sad death of Marsha Singh, there are no Sikh MP’s in Parliament from the Labour Party. Conservative Paul Uppal MP remains the only Sikh MP in Parliament.

Good luck to Cllr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi. He deserves great success.

Simon Woolley