Following the outcome of the UK General Election, Bhai Amrik Singh, Chair of the Sikh Federation (UK) has written to the leaders of each of the three main political parties and the Scottish National Party indicating the need to work closely with the Sikh community to ensure issues of concern to Sikhs are properly addressed. By the time all results are announced it will be a vastly reduced majority for the Labour Government. In a statement issued to the media, Bhai Amrik Singh said: "In our view a smaller majority for the Government is a positive and healthy development. Having analysed the results for each party and considered the assurances that have been given to us by senior figures in each of the main parties we believe we are now much better placed to achieve success on Sikh issues. A spokesman for the Sikh Federation (UK) said: "The results have been analysed for each political party and for individual candidates that have indicated their willingness to enter into a partnership with us to address issues of concern to Sikhs. We are delighted to report that virtually all sitting MPs or candidates that were likely to win and signed up to the Memorandum of Understanding, which we have been pushing for the last four to five months, have been elected. We are now entering a new era where we are hopeful for a massive increase in Sikh membership of each of the mainstream political parties, over the next few years, which will help deliver lasting political clout for Sikhs in the UK." Bhai Narinderjit Singh, the General Secretary of the Sikh Federation (UK) said: "Almost all Labour MPs that were being supported by the Sikh community have been elected in towns and cities, such as Barking, Bedford, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Coventry, Derby, East Ham, Glasgow, Huddersfield, Leeds, Leicester, Luton, Newcastle, Nottingham, Slough, Southampton, Telford, Walsall, West Bromwich, West London and Wolverhampton." "We were particularly pleased with the re-election of Labour candidates, such as Rob Marris MP, in key marginal constituencies, who have been working tirelessly for the Sikh community. We know they will appreciate the efforts by the local Sikh community to have them re-elected. We have also developed good contacts with newly elected Labour MPs, such as Pat MacFadden, who will remain indebted to the huge support from his Sikh constituents in Wolverhampton." A spokesman for the Federation added: "The results for candidates in the Conservative Party who have been very supportive on Sikh issues were also critical to maintain our influence across the political spectrum. In the past few years the likes of Oliver Letwin MP, Dominic Grieve MP, David Cameron MP (who is tipped to be a favourite to become party leader), Caroline Spelman MP, Alan Duncan MP etc. have been very vocal in their support for Sikhs. Therefore, we are very pleased they have all been re-elected." "In addition, Conservative MPs have gained seats from Labour in Gravesham, Ilford, Milton Keynes, Northampton and Reading. We already have links with several of these newly elected MPs. Our aim will be to work closely with these new MPs in these marginal constituencies, which have a sizeable number of Sikh constituents, to ensure they are pro-active in supporting Sikhs on the full range of issues that concern us." The spokesman continued: "The Liberal Democrats have had a successful General Election with the biggest rise in the share of the vote. Whilst the party lost its one and only Sikh MP, Parmjit Singh Gill, this was to be expected. Similarly, Satnam Kaur Khalsa as the first practising Sikh woman to fight a general election achieved a very respectable share of the vote in a safe Labour seat. As a party, the Liberal Democrats have been the most supportive of the three main parties on the full range of Sikh issues and we are excited by the prospect of new MPs in Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Leeds, Manchester and Solihull." "We are thrilled to see the election of the likes of John Hemming, the new Liberal Democrat MP for Birmingham Yardley. He spoke passionately at the last National Sikh Convention in Wolverhampton in September 2004 on several of our key issues, such as his support for the separate recognition and monitoring of Sikhs and the Sikhs right to self determination. "In overall terms we are encouraged by the make up of the new Parliament, including some of the new members of the House of Lords, such as Dennis Turner and new members from the Scottish National Party, led by Alex Salmond. We think Sikhs can make huge strides over the next few years with our influence across the political spectrum and the soon to be formed All Party Parliamentary Group for British Sikhs. If we keep up our efforts the Sikh community should be very well placed to ensure practising Sikhs enter the UK Parliament next time round or much sooner via the House of Lords. If we are able to encourage a sufficient number of young Sikh professionals to take up this challenge we are hopeful that in the next decade we will see practising Sikhs at Ministerial level."

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