Author Archives: Kamran Hussain

Kamran Hussain

We are not going anywhere

By Kamran Hussain | Fri 15th May 2026 - 12:43 pm

I was seven years old when I first delivered leaflets for this party on the streets of Yorkshire. Seven years old. Running door to door in communities I loved, for a party that told me, told us, that we belonged here – that this was our country too.

Last Thursday’s local election results were a gut punch to anyone who believes in a fair, open, and tolerant Britain. Reform UK gained more than 1,400 seats while Labour lost over 1,100 it previously held. But for me, the results that hit hardest weren’t the national headlines. They were the towns I know personally. The towns I grew up nearby. Towns whose names are stitched into the fabric of my identity.

In Dewsbury East, Reform UK swept all three seats. Across Kirklees as a whole, Reform took 29 seats, and Labour, which had held 23 going into the election returned zero councillors. Not one.

In Oldham, Reform gained 13 seats, leaving the council in no overall control.

In Rochdale, Reform seized 12 of the 14 seats up for election. In Burnley, Reform became the largest party on the council after winning 11 seats. In Bolton, the Labour leader lost his own seat.

In the days since, my phone hasn’t stopped. Messages from British Muslim friends. From British Asian neighbours. From people whose families have lived in these very towns for three generations, quietly, desperately asking: “Is it time to go? Should we just leave?”

My answer is absolute. No, we are not going anywhere.

And I’ll tell you exactly why, not as a soundbite, but as a statement of defiance rooted in something much deeper than politics.

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Kamran Hussain

An attack on one community is an attack on us all

By Kamran Hussain | Thu 26th March 2026 - 11:37 am

Earlier on this week, ambulances belonging to a Jewish volunteer emergency medical service were deliberately attacked outside a synagogue in Golders Green, one of London’s most established Jewish neighbourhoods.

These were not military vehicles. They were not symbols of any state or government. They were ambulances. Vehicles whose sole purpose is to save lives, staffed by volunteers who respond to emergencies. They were targeted because they serve the Jewish community and this should shake every one of us to the core.

This was not an isolated incident. It sits within a deeply troubling pattern. The Community Security Trust recorded 3,700 antisemitic incidents across the UK in 2025, more than double the figure from 2022. In October 2025, two Jewish worshippers were killed in a car-ramming and stabbing attack outside a Manchester synagogue on Yom Kippur, one of the holiest days in the Jewish calendar. Across Europe, explosions and attacks have struck Jewish schools and synagogues. The message being sent to Jewish communities is unmistakable and unconscionable: you are not safe.

As Liberals, we must say clearly and without equivocation: antisemitism is a poison, and it is rising. It is rising on the far right, where conspiracy theories about Jewish power have never gone away. It is rising in certain strands of discourse around the Middle East, where legitimate criticism of a government slides into the demonisation of an entire nation. And it is rising in the everyday in the abuse hurled at visibly Jewish people on public transport, in the graffiti daubed on synagogue walls, in the casual remarks that go unchallenged in workplaces and on social media. We cannot claim to be a party of human rights and look the other way.

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Kamran Hussain

Jury trial is not a luxury or a quirky tradition

By Kamran Hussain | Wed 3rd December 2025 - 8:55 am

For over 20 years, I have stood in cramped cells and worn-out courtrooms, watching the state line up against the individual. I’ve seen frightened teenagers, exhausted mothers, people who made bad choices and people who were wrongly accused. Throughout it all, one thing has kept our justice system feeling fair: when it really mattered, ordinary people had the final say.

Twelve strangers, chosen from the community, sitting together as a jury.

Now, a Labour Government that claims to be “on the side of the many” is quietly pushing that safeguard towards the exit.

Last week, more than 100 lawyers warned the Ministry of Justice that Labour’s plan to drastically cut jury trials is a serious mistake.

In simple terms, the proposal is this: keep juries only for the very worst crimes—like murder and rape—and move a huge range of other serious offences to be decided by a judge alone. At the same time, they want to give more power to magistrates’ courts, which we already know produce some of the most unequal outcomes, especially for Black and Minority Ethnic Defendants.

And the reason given? The backlog of cases.

Yes, the backlog is real. Cases drag on for years, witnesses move away, memories fade, victims lose hope. But let’s be clear: juries didn’t create this backlog. It was created by political choices—court closures, crumbling buildings, cuts to legal aid, and fewer sitting days. Now, instead of fixing the problems, Labour wants to remove one of the foundations of our justice system.

When I talk to my clients about juries, even the most cynical ones understand. They might not trust judges or politicians, but they value the idea that “people like us” are in the room—a local builder, a teaching assistant, a retired nurse.

Take juries away from most serious cases, and you don’t just change who decides—you change how justice feels. It stops being justice with the public and starts being justice done to the public.

What’s especially frustrating is that Labour should know better. David Lammy’s 2017 review showed that juries were one of the few parts of the system that treated minority ethnic defendants fairly. The big problems were elsewhere—in policing, charging, magistrates’ courts, and sentencing. Having seen clear proof that juries work, Labour’s response seems to be: “Let’s cut them.”

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Kamran Hussain

Labour has lost its moral and political compass

By Kamran Hussain | Wed 19th November 2025 - 11:55 am

I have been a Liberal Democrat for many years, and I never imagined a time when a major party on the centre-left would be celebrating its immigration policy alongside the very architects of anti-immigrant sentiment. Yet here we are. As Shabana Mahmood unveils her new asylum and immigration plans, the loudest endorsements are not coming from progressive voices, the NHS, or the communities dependent on migration, but from figures like Tommy Robinson and Nigel Farage—men who have built careers on demonising and scapegoating newcomers.

​This applause is a siren call that should terrify the Labour movement, but for the Liberal Democrats, it is a clarifying moment.

​When people like Robinson and Farage applaud Labour’s direction, it sends a crystal-clear signal: Shabana Mahmood is moving the Labour Party so far to the right that the far-right ecosystem now views her as an active ally. For those of us who believe in the core Liberal values of fairness, compassion, and evidence-based policy, this is profoundly alarming.

​The very people keeping our social fabric intact—the hard-working individuals in the care sector—are the ones being betrayed. Under the previous, more humane system, many care workers were on a clear, five-year route to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). This gave them stability, dignity, and a predictable future.

​Mahmood’s proposal to stretch that pathway to twenty years is not a policy; it is a punishment. It translates to twenty years of insecurity, twenty  years of anxiety, telling dedicated workers, “Even though you care for our elderly, our grandparents, and our disabled loved ones, you still haven’t earned the right to call this country home.”

​And who cheered this punitive shift? Tommy Robinson, calling it a step in the right direction. Nigel Farage, claiming she was suitable to join Reform.

If they believe Labour has become their champion, then Labour has utterly lost its moral and political compass.

The tragedy is that Labour believes it is playing a clever political game. Mahmood thinks that by mirroring Conservative and Reform UK rhetoric, she can win over disillusioned voters who are looking for someone to blame.

But politics abhors a vacuum, and voters will always choose the authentic voice of the far-right over its pale imitation. Labour will never ‘out-Reform’ Reform.

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Kamran Hussain

It’s time for a fresh voice – Why I’m standing for Party Vice President

By Kamran Hussain | Sun 26th October 2025 - 8:30 am

Kamran Hussain profile picture

Editor’s Note: In November party members will be voting to elect our next Party President. At Lib Dem Voice we welcome posts from each of the candidates – one to launch their candidature plus a maximum of one per week during the actual campaign.

I have been told that Yorkshire folk are known for straight talking, so let me start there. I am not from Westminster and it’s not the norm for me to be at think-tank lunches or in the shadow of Big Ben. My political training ground was the streets of Yorkshire, armed with a stack of Focus leaflets and a very questionable sense of direction.

I joined the Liberal Democrats before I could grow a proper moustache. At seven years old, I was already delivering leaflets, probably the only Liberal Democrat in history who liked street level letterboxes! 

Since then, I have worn many hats: solicitor, managing partner, campaigner, regional chair, parliamentary candidate, husband, and dad to brilliant (and occasionally exhausting) kids.

And now, I’m standing to be our next Party Vice President, because I believe this role should mean more than a polite nod from the top table. It should be a real link between our members and leadership, a voice that speaks for members, not sending messages from the top to them.

For too long, the Vice President role has been seen as ceremonial, the party equivalent of cutting ribbons and smiling for photos. But we’re a party that believes in empowerment, in grassroots activism, and in shaking up the establishment. It’s time we brought that same energy to our own structures.

That’s why I’ve come up with what I call, Kam’s 6 to Fix, not because I fancy myself as some political handyman, but because the party internal workings need a few screws tightening and a bit of fresh paint.

1. The voice of members to the leadership

We need to give power back to the members, not just at conference but all year round. That’s why I’ll listen to you and be your independent voice back to the leadership.

2. Supporting candidates and local parties

I have spent years helping build campaign structures across the country. It’s time we make that support consistent and practical, so every candidate, whether in Cornwall, Clydebank, Conway, or Calderdale, feels part of a winning machine.

3. Identifying real solutions for real people

We are great at policy papers, but people want potholes fixed and buses that turn up. From Shetland to St Ives, let’s offer real Liberal answers that make life better, not just leaflets that make us feel better.

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Kamran Hussain

Kamran Hussain writes: Representing people from all walks of life, not just “Middle England”

By Kamran Hussain | Tue 14th October 2025 - 1:21 pm

Editor’s Note: In November party members will be voting to elect our next Party President and Vice-President. At Lib Dem Voice we welcome posts from each of the candidates – one to launch their candidature plus a maximum of one per week during the actual campaign.

I grew up in a community with people who do the early starts and the late finishes: the shift workers, the carers, the shop staff who smile even when the till doesn’t balance at home. For far too long, they’ve been told to “tighten belts” whilst the government loosened its grip on the basics that make a decent life possible for every person.

​I’m not interested in Westminster theatre. I’m interested in what lands on individual kitchen tables.​ I want to be Vice President of a party that stands up and represents people from all walks of life in every village, town and city, not just “Middle England.”

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Kamran Hussain

Kamran Hussain writes: Confronting Misogyny: My commitment as Vice President Candidate

By Kamran Hussain | Sun 5th October 2025 - 8:30 am

Editor’s Note: In November party members will be voting to elect our next Party President. At Lib Dem Voice we welcome posts from each of the candidates – one to launch their candidature plus a maximum of one per week during the actual campaign.

Misogyny is not just a political issue — it is a deeply personal one. As I stand to be elected Vice President of the Liberal Democrats, I so carry with me the voices of countless women who have been ignored, dismissed, or silenced for too long. I have listened to friends, colleagues, and campaigners tell me stories of harassment, exclusion, and the barriers that still hold women back in modern Britain. Those experiences demand leadership, and they demand action.

The reality for women today is stark. Too many shape their daily lives around the threat of harassment, changing their routines and restricting their freedoms to feel safe. In universities, workplaces, and public spaces, women continue to face discrimination that chips away at their confidence and limits their opportunities. And despite progress, women still face inequality at work, both in terms of pay and recognition.

But misogyny is not only about the most shocking headlines. It is about the culture that normalises women being talked over in meetings, dismissed in politics, and underestimated in leadership. It is about women doing two jobs — one at work and another at home — without acknowledgement. It is about the fact that representation in politics and public life remains far from equal. Progress has been made, but it is nowhere near enough.

This commitment is not abstract for me; it is personal. I have seen the strength of women in my own family and community who carried households, raised children, and led businesses in the face of prejudice. I have seen women candidates in our Party work twice as hard to be taken seriously. And I have seen how resilience is demanded of women in politics in ways men are rarely tested. Too often, the system shrugs its shoulders, leaving women to fight alone.

That is why, as Vice President, I want to make it clear that tackling misogyny is not optional — it is central to who we are as Liberal Democrats.

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Kamran Hussain

Immigration: A Liberal Force for Good in Britain

By Kamran Hussain | Fri 5th September 2025 - 5:42 pm

In November party members will be voting to elect our next Party President and Vice President. At Lib Dem Voice we welcome posts from each of the candidates – one to launch their candidature (like this one, for Vice President) plus a maximum of one per week during the actual campaign.  

For too long, the national conversation on immigration has been dominated by fear, misinformation, and division. As Liberal Democrats, we know better. We see immigration not as a problem to be solved, but as a vital, enriching, and profoundly liberal force that has helped shape the Britain we love.

The evidence is clear, and the case is compelling. Immigration isn’t just a part of modern Britain; it’s the very thread that weaves together the tapestry of our nation’s progress and success.

Our NHS: The Beating Heart of a Liberal Nation

The National Health Service is a core Liberal Democrat value. We know that to protect it, we must embrace the talent and dedication of people from all over the world. Walk into any hospital or care home and you will see it for yourself: doctors, nurses, and caregivers from every corner of the globe, working tirelessly to keep us safe. They are not just ‘filling gaps’—they are the backbone of our health service. Their expertise saves lives, their compassion comforts families, and their presence ensures the NHS can continue to be a source of national pride.

Powering Our Economy, Fuelling Our Ambition

Liberals believe in open, dynamic economies where innovation and enterprise thrive. Immigration is a powerful engine for just that. Immigrants are not a drain on our resources; they are a source of immense economic strength. They pay taxes, launch businesses, and create jobs. Research shows time and again that they contribute more in taxes than they take in public services. This isn’t just about numbers—it’s about the energy, creativity, and ambition that fuels new companies and keeps our economy moving forward. From a local cafe to a global tech company, immigrant entrepreneurs are a testament to the power of a modern, open Britain.

Enriching Our Culture, Strengthening Our Communities

Diversity is our strength. A Liberal Britain is a diverse one, and our culture has been profoundly enriched by the contributions of people from around the world. From our high streets to our festivals, this influence is visible and delicious! But it’s about more than just food. It’s about the music, art, and traditions that bring communities together and make our towns and cities more vibrant places to live. When we celebrate Diwali, Eid, or Chinese New Year, we aren’t just celebrating a single culture; we are celebrating the multicultural Britain we have built together. This spirit of openness is what makes us truly a global nation.

Building a Smarter, Younger Britain

We know that Britain faces the challenge of an ageing population. The answer isn’t to retreat and close our borders; it’s to welcome the younger workers who can sustain our economy, fund our pensions, and power our public services. This is a common-sense solution.

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