Mayoral candidate planning to run in next general election
An independent West Midlands mayoral candidate has set his sights on running in the the next general election.
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Walsall's Akhmed Yakoob, who campaigned on a pro-Palestine ticket, is thought to be planning to stand in Birmingham's Ladywood constituency, a seat currently held by Labour MP Shabana Mahmood.
Nicknamed the "TikTok lawyer" due to his social media videos, Mr Yakoob polled the third highest number of votes in the West Midlands mayoral election attracting 69,621 votes behind the outgoing Tory mayor Andy Street and the winner Labour's Richard Parker, who will be taking up his new role on Tuesday.
Mr Yakoob, of Aldridge, won the backing of Rochdale's MP George Galloway, of the Workers Party of Britain, who was mobbed when he paid a visit to Aston, in Birmingham, ahead of polling day.
Some independent council candidates capitalised on Muslim voters' unease with the Labour party for not calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and with Rishi Sunak's Government for backing Israel.
More than 1,100 people were killed after Hamas militants breached the barrier between Gaza and Israel on October 7. Around and 250 people were captured as hostages and around 130 remain unaccounted for, with at least 34 of them presumed dead.
Mr Yakoob has been approached for comment.
