I'm Arshad Ali.
I'm a healthcare professional and clinical staff governor working for and with the NHS here in Bradford.
As former chair of the Bradford Stop the War group and a lifelong community campaigner,
I have increasingly become troubled with the current political climate and direction.
For years in Bradford, we have not just been failed on big issues such as Health, Education, Housing, Unemployment, Poverty, Healthcare etc, but as a healthcare worker and basic life support instructor for Bradford District Care Trust, I am very concerned about the state of the NHS.
I have also become very concerned about the hundreds of journalists and healthcare workers that have lost their lives in the current conflict in Gaza.
I stand in solidarity not just with them, but with all the innocent men women and children who have been killed by this brutal conflict enabled by our current political elite.
As someone who has organised and led several aid convoys from the UK to Palestine since 2009, I have seen with my own eyes the suffering and destruction that existed in Gaza even before this current massacre.
Nothing can be worse than to deprive and deny other human beings the very basics such as food, water, electricity, gas, Internet etc etc. But the Israelis dont see the Palestinians as human, instead they describe the Palestinians as "human animals".
Even the International Court of Justice has described the current situation in Gaza as "probable genocide", yet still, the current Labour Party leader has continued his unwaivering support for Israel and all it does.
This is not the once great Labour Party that once stood for something.
The UK Govt even supplies military weapons and personnel to Israel all the better to slaughter innocent children in their thousands while the official opposition does not even dare demand neither a ceasefire nor stopping arms supplies to Israel.
In the meantime tens of thousands have paid the price with their lives. This could have been prevented by applying pressure on Israel but instead, the Tory Govt and the Labour Party enablers are complicit in this death toll.
All this done in OUR name.
After being involved in dozens of demonstrations and protests that have fallen only on deaf ears, I have decided to put myself forward as an Independent candidate to stand against Keir Starmers’ candidate in the constituency of Bradford West where I have lived and worked for most of my life.
I have several yrs experience of having worked very closely with an MP and understand the pressures of the job.
I hope I can count on your support to help reset the balance of power between the ordinary people who have been ignored for so long and those who act on our behalf and even support genocide taking us all for convenient fools.
The cost of fighting an election can be as much as £12000 - £15000 and can be a major limiting factor for Independent candidates unlike party candidates who are funded by their parties. This makes it difficult for ordinary people to participate in politics.
For this reason I have created this page to ask all friends, supporters and wellwishers of my cause to please consider making a generous donation.
My heartfelt gratitude.
#ElectArshadAli4BradfordWest