Telford councillor, 24, has ambition of being MP
A Telford councillor has become the first from his party to throw his hat in the ring to become a new Cumbrian MP.
Councillor Usman Ahmed, who represents Leegomery on Hadley and Leegomery Parish Council, wants to be the new Labour candidate standing for the role of Copeland MP.
Councillor Ahmed is the youngest Muslim councillor in Shropshire and has been on the town council since 2015.
He is 24 and has lived in Hadley all his life, attending Orleton Park School and New College in Wellington.
He said the area he is standing for is similar to the one he currently represents, but has been doing his research into the big issues that will affect it in the future.
Councillor Ahmed said: "The area is very close to, very similar in part to Shropshire and I feel the issues here, that I have been campaigning on are similar to the ones there.
"The NHS, the EU vote make up was very similar. The NHS there is also under threat. I want to look at how Copeland would be affected by Brexit.
"Britain had a democratic right to vote to leave the EU but it can't go forward with this half-baked plan the Prime Minister has. She keeps saying Brexit means Brexit, but what does that actually mean?
"Fair enough she doesn't want to show her negotiating hand, but the people have a right to see the plan."
Councillor Ahmed says he wants to take the voice of ordinary people to Parliament.
He said: "I've lived in Shropshire all my life, I come from an ethnic minority, I feel that I have lived the life of the people.
"I've not worked as an MP, I've worked in a shop, I've worked in a call centre, I've worked in an office, I've worked for the Department of Work and Pensions.
"I've lived the life of ordinary people and I want to take the voice of the ordinary people to Parliament."
Councillor Ahmed has submitted his application to the party to be put forward as the candidate in the election and should find out next week if he has moved forward to the next stage. He said: "I am confident I can do it but we will see how it goes next weekend."
In the constituency, Labour are defending a 2,564 majority. A writ will have to be moved by parliament at the end of January for a by-election in the constituency to be called.
