Keralite Sojan Joseph selected Labour Party candidate for Ashford in parliamentary elections

By A Staff Reporter

ASHFORD (Kent) March 8: Cllr Sojan Joseph, a mental health nurse who now working as a head of nursing in NHS, originally from India, has been chosen as the Labour Party’s Prospective Parliamentary Candidate (PPC) for the newly formed Ashford Constituency. With a background in healthcare and a history of community involvement since moving to Ashford in 2002, Sojan Joseph brings a wealth of experience and commitment to the role.

If Sojan Joseph is successful in his bid to become the Member of Parliament for Ashford, he will make history as the first person of Keralite origin to hold a parliamentary seat in the UK. This groundbreaking achievement would not only be a testament to Sojan Joseph’s personal dedication and qualifications, but also a significant milestone for the broader Keralite community in the UK. As the first Keralite MP, Sojan would have the opportunity to bring a unique perspective and voice to the national political discourse, enriching the representation of diverse communities within the British Parliament.

Sojan Joseph has been an integral part of the Ashford community for over twenty years. In 2023, Sojan’s commitment to public service and dedication to improving the lives of those in his community led to his successful election as the Labour Councillor for Aylesford and East Stour Ward.

With a general election on the horizon, the Ashford constituency is poised to become a hotly contested battleground. Recent data suggests that the constituency has become a marginal seat, creating an opportunity for the Labour Party to potentially unseat the Conservatives. Local election results in Ashford further support this narrative, as the Conservative Party recently lost four seats in the borough council, relinquishing their overall control. Meanwhile, both Labour and the Green Party have made significant gains in the area, indicating a growing appetite for change among voters.

Sojan Joseph’s selection as the PPC for Labour is a reflection of the party’s commitment to selecting candidates with a strong connection to the local community and the experience and expertise to effectively represent their constituents in Parliament.

Reacting to the news, Sojan Joseph wrote on social media, “It’s such a privilege to be selected as Labour party’s parliamentary candidate for Ashford. We need a full time MP who will stand up for the community and address the issues that matter to the people like NHS services, social care, roads, businesses, cost of living etc”.

The “newly formed Ashford Constituency” refers to the recent boundary changes in Kent, that resulted in the creation of a new parliamentary constituency called “Ashford.” These changes were implemented by the Boundary Commission for England to ensure that each Member of Parliament (MP) represents a similar number of constituents. Prior to the changes, the existing Ashford constituency was split between three neighboring constituencies: Ashford, Faversham and Mid Kent, and Weald of Kent. However, the recent boundary review has redrawn the lines, with the new Ashford Constituency now consisting of parts of the former Ashford, Faversham and Mid Kent, and Weald of Kent constituencies.