Mohammad Yasin (politician)


Mohammad Yasin MP is a Pakistan-born British Labour Party politician. He was elected at the 2017 general election as the Member of Parliament for Bedford. Prior to this, he was a local councillor, and taxi driver. He was re-elected at the 2019 general election.

Early life

Yasin was born on 15 October 1971 in Mirpur, Pakistan. His father was a truck driver. He obtained a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Degree College Mirpur. Yasin moved to Bedford, Bedfordshire at the age of 21. He reports that his first job on arrival was in a factory before becoming a taxi driver. While working at the factory, he became involved with trade unions, and joined the Labour Party.
In 2006, he was elected as a councillor for Queen's Park ward in Bedford Borough Council. Yasin was re-elected in 2009 and 2015. Upon being elected to Parliament, he continued to serve as a Bedford Borough Councillor until the 2019 local elections where he stood down. He was the Portfolio Holder on the council for Adult Services.

Parliamentary career

Yasin was elected as MP for Bedford in the 2017 general election with a majority of 789 votes. It was previously represented in parliament by Conservative Richard Fuller since 2010. In March 2018, Yasin received a suspicious package containing an anti-Islamic letter and sticky liquid. The substance was later found to be harmless. Similar packages were received by fellow Muslim Labour MPs Rushanara Ali, Afzal Khan and Rupa Huq.
Yasin supported the UK remaining within the European Union in the 2016 UK EU membership referendum. In the indicative votes on 27 March 2019, Yasin voted for a referendum on a Brexit withdrawal agreement, for Norway plus, and for a customs union with the EU.
Since May 2019, Yasin has sat on the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee.
In the 2019 General election, Yasin was re-elected as MP for Bedford defeating his closest Conservative challenger by a margin of 145 votes making Bedford the most marginal Labour seat in the country.

Personal life

Yasin is married and is the father of four children.