Labour’s Khalid Mahmood says party has become ‘London-centric’
May 8, 2021, 9:55 am

Labour’s Khalid Mahmood says party has become ‘London-centric’

Khalid Mahmood stopped short of attacking Keir Starmer’s leadership, saying he hasn’t had the opportunity to prove himself yet.

MP believes Labour is now too focused on issues which are irrelevant to working-class people around the country

Labour MP Khalid Mahmood has doubled down on his scathing criticism of the party after its defeat in Hartlepool, saying Labour has become too focused on London-centric issues which are irrelevant to working-class people.

In an article published on Friday, Mahmood said the Labour party had been captured by a “London-based bourgeoisie” and “brigades of woke social media warriors”.

Speaking to the Guardian, Mahmood stood by his criticism but stopped short of attacking Keir Starmer’s leadership, saying he hasn’t had the opportunity to prove himself yet.

“I’m sure he will look at this article and say, ‘We need to look at some of those issues’. And I know he’s doing that. We can’t point a finger at somebody who we haven’t really given a chance yet.”

Mahmood said the party is too focused on city centre office workers and “London-centrist issues” that don’t affect people around the country who work in industries like engineering and manufacturing.

“We’ve actually moved away from the working-class people,” he said, adding he wants the party to champion trade unions more.

Mahmood, England’s first Muslim MP, said he quit the party’s frontbench last month so he can spend more time tackling Islamophobia and radicalisation.He also said he doesn’t think Labour has much chance of success in the West Midlands mayoral contest, anticipated to be the most closely fought mayoral race. The results of the contest are due to be announced on Saturday afternoon.

“It doesn’t look too brilliant for our mayoral candidate, Liam Byrne, but these are the issues that we need to get straight,” he said. “We should have had Liam winning this and unfortunately, it looks like that’s not going to be the case”.

In an article for thinktank Policy Exchange, the MP for Birmingham Perry Barr said: “Labour has lost touch with ordinary British people. A London-based bourgeoisie, with the support of brigades of woke social media warriors, has effectively captured the party.

“They mean well, of course, but their politics – obsessed with identity, division and even tech utopianism – have more in common with those of Californian high society than the kind of people who voted in Hartlepool yesterday.”

He said his comment on “tech utopianism” was a reference to people working from home, “which is fine in London, but you’ll find a majority of the people across the country don’t do that”.

“Everything is all about the people working from coffee shops or working from home, walking around with their laptops and sitting down wherever,” he said. “Most people outside of London can’t afford to do that, they have physical jobs where they have to attend a workplace, and have all the issues related to that to deal with.

“We need to get out and actually work on the real issues.”

source: Jessica Murray

Levant

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.