As Andy Burnham steps into 10 Downing Street as the UK’s new Prime Minister, British Asian communities across the nation are watching with quiet optimism, tempered by years of seeing hopes raised only to be left unfulfilled. For generations, our communities have been woven into the fabric of this country: building high streets, staffing our NHS and public services, creating thousands of jobs, and shaping the culture we all share. Yet too often, our priorities have been treated as afterthoughts, our concerns overlooked, and our potential under-valued. Now, we look to this new administration not for favours, but for fairness; not for fine speeches, but for tangible action that matches the contribution we have always made.
At the very top of the list is real representation and equal inclusion. It is no secret that while British Asians make up around 14% of the UK population, we remain under-represented across almost every tier of public life – from Parliament and ministerial posts to the boards of public bodies, police authorities and local council leadership. We expect Prime Minister Burnham to deliver on the promise of a politics that looks like the people it serves. This means reforming candidate selection processes so that talent is recognised wherever it comes from; setting clear, monitored targets for representation across all government departments and agencies; and creating pathways that encourage and support the next generation of leaders from all backgrounds. Representation is not just about presence – it means policies are written by people who understand what it is like to grow up in a community that feels unheard, who know the challenges facing small family businesses, and who recognise that fairness cannot be delivered from outside our experience.
Next comes economic opportunity that works for everyone. British Asian-owned businesses are among the most resilient and dynamic in the country – from corner shops and restaurants to manufacturing firms, tech start-ups and professional services. Yet many still face significant barriers: difficulty accessing affordable finance, being locked out of major government and local authority contracts, and a lack of tailored business support and mentoring. We want to see a strategy that opens up procurement fairly, so public money benefits all communities, not just established networks; that backs entrepreneurship with grants, training and access to markets; and that tackles pay gaps, glass ceilings and discriminatory recruitment practices which still hold back talented people in the workplace. Many families in our area also worry about the cost of living, affordable housing and secure employment – issues that hit our communities hardest, where so many work in essential, lower-paid roles or run businesses with tight margins. We expect economic policy to deliver prosperity that is shared, not concentrated in the hands of a few.
Safety, justice and equal treatment are equally vital. In recent years, we have seen a worrying rise in hate crime targeting British Asian communities – from verbal abuse on our streets to online harassment and attacks on places of worship. Too many incidents still go unreported because people lack trust that they will be taken seriously. We want firm leadership that sends an unambiguous message: discrimination of any kind has no place in modern Britain. This means better resourcing for community safety teams, improving reporting mechanisms and support for victims, ensuring police forces reflect the communities they serve, and prosecuting hate crime robustly. Beyond this, there are deep-seated inequalities in health outcomes, educational attainment and access to justice. We expect a review of these disparities and targeted action to close the gaps – whether that is ensuring culturally appropriate healthcare, boosting attainment in schools serving diverse communities, or making legal advice accessible to all.
We also look for leadership that strengthens community cohesion and respects our identities. Our communities are made up of people from many nations, faiths and cultures, all proud to be British while keeping the traditions that bind us together. We want a Prime Minister who celebrates this diversity rather than using it as a political wedge; who protects the right to worship freely; who ensures school curriculums teach the full story of our shared history; and who invests in community centres, youth clubs and inter-faith projects that bring people together. Right here in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Stoke-on-Trent, many of these local spaces have faced funding cuts for years – we hope this new government will see them as vital infrastructure, not an optional extra.
these expectations are not unreasonable – they are the basics of a fair and functioning democracy.
We have stood by this country through good times and hard times; we pay our taxes, we serve our communities, and we raise our families to be active citizens. Now we ask for a government that stands with us. Prime Minister Burnham has built a reputation for listening and for championing forgotten parts of the country. If he brings that same spirit to national leadership, and turns words into consistent action, he will find in British Asian communities strong, willing partners in building a nation that is truly fair, united and prosperous for all.
