Saqib Bhatti Explained

Mohammad Saqib Bhatti^[1] (born 18 June 1985)^[2] is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Meriden and Solihull East (formerly Meriden) since the 2019 general election.^[3] He has been Shadow Minister of State for Science, Innovation and Technology and Shadow Minister of State for Health and Social Care since July 2024.^[4] He previously served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Tech and the Digital Economy from November 2023 to July 2024. He previously served as the Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party for Business.^[5]

Prior to serving in parliament, Bhatti founded the pro-Brexit group Muslims for Britain, which advocated for leaving the European Union (EU) in the 2016 referendum.

Early life and education

Bhatti was born and raised in Walsall, West Midlands, England in a Pakistani immigrant family from Punjab.^[6] His father, Younis Bhatti, is from Gujar Khan, while his mother is from Murree. Younis is UK secretary general of the Al-Shifa Eye Trust, a Pakistan-based eyecare hospital that provides treatment to individuals who cannot afford it.

Bhatti was privately educated at King Edwards VI School in Edgbaston,^{[7] [8]} before studying law at the London School of Economics (LSE), from where he graduated with an LLB (Hons) degree. Whilst at university, he served as president of the LSE Pakistan Society.^[9]

Early career

Bhatti is an accountant by profession.^[10] In 2018, he became the President of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, becoming the youngest person and first Muslim to hold the post.^[11]

Bhatti founded the group Muslims for Britain which campaigned for the UK to leave the EU during the Brexit referendum.^[12] He argued that EU policy prevented immigration from South Asia and that leaving the EU would make it easier.^{[13] [14]} he was a senior policy adviser with the Alliance of Conservatives and Reformists in Europe.

Member of Parliament

After Caroline Spelman announced she was standing down as an MP, Bhatti was selected to represent the Conservative seat of Meriden at the 2019 general election, beating the political adviser Nick Timothy in the ballot of party members.^{[15] [16]}

Saqib was appointed Private Parliamentary Secretary Liz Truss, the then Secretary of State to the Department for International Trade in 2020.^[17] He then moved to the Department for Health and Social Care where he served as Private Parliamentary Secretary to the Secretary of State, the Rt Hon. Sajid Javid MP, whom he followed in resigning on 5 July 2022 in the aftermath of the Chris Pincher scandal.^{[18] [19]}

On 30 September 2022, Bhatti became the Conservative Party's Vice Chair for Business.^[20]

Leadership election positions

In the July–September 2022 Conservative leadership election, Bhatti endorsed Liz Truss, stating that Truss "understands that for businesses to thrive, the government needs to get out of the way."^[21]

Honours

Bhatti was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2020 New Year Honours "for services to diversity and inclusion in the business community", while he was President of the Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce.

Bhatti also holds an honorary doctorate from Aston University in Business Administration.^[22]

External links

|-|-

Notes and References

1. Web site: Members Sworn. Hansard.parliament.uk. 2019-12-18. 2020-01-28.
2. Book: Brunskill, Ian. The Times guide to the House of Commons 2019 : the definitive record of Britain's historic 2019 General Election. 19 March 2020. 978-0-00-839258-1. 270. HarperCollins Publishers Limited . 1129682574.
3. Web site: Meriden general election results 2019 – Birmingham Live. James Rodger. birminghammail.co.uk. 2019-12-13. 2019-12-12.
4. Web site: Conservative Party announces interim Opposition Front Bench . 2024-07-25 . policymogul.com . en.
5. Web site: Jake Berry MP Twitter . 2022-09-30 . Twitter . en.
6. Web site: About Saqib Bhatti . 28 November 2023 .
7. Web site: 2020-02-25 . Class of 2019: Meet the new MPs . 2024-05-10 . Politics Home . en.
8. Web site: 2023-11-28 . About Saqib Bhatti . 2024-05-10 . Saqib Bhatti . en.
9. Web site: Shah . Murtaza Ali . 2019-12-26 . British Pakistani Saqib Bhatti MP rising star of Conservatives . 2023-04-13 . www.thenews.com.pk . en.
10. News: Ex Downing Street chief rejected as Tory candidate. November 6, 2019. BBC News.
11. News: Jones . Tamlyn . Chamber installs youngest ever president . BirminghamLive . 27 September 2018 . en.
12. News: Varley . Ciaran . The Muslims who voted for Brexit: what do they think now? . 12 April 2021 . BBC Three . 27 July 2016.
13. News: Pickard . Jim . Vote Leave woos British Asians with migration leaflets . 12 April 2021 . Financial Times . 19 May 2016.
14. News: Parveen . Nazia . Why do some ethnic minority voters want to leave the EU? . 12 April 2021 . The Guardian . 1 June 2016 . en.
15. News: Carlon . John . Former Downing Street chief Nick Timothy beaten by Saqib Bhatti in Tory's Meriden selection . 11 May 2021 . Solihull Observer . 5 November 2019 . en.
16. News: Carter . Gus . Ones to watch: The most promising new MPs of 2019 . 11 May 2021 . Spectator . 18 December 2019.
17. Web site: Latest civil service & public affairs moves — October 5. 5 October 2020.
18. Web site: Meet the political stars of tomorrow in the Midlands. 23 September 2021.
19. News: Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid resign as Boris Johnson apologises for Chris Pincher 'mistake' – UK politics live . 5 July 2022 . the Guardian . 5 July 2022 . en.
20. 1575843201067278339. JakeBerry. Delighted to welcome 3 new Vice Chairs to my @Conservatives team @Bhatti_Saqib – Vice Chair for Business @SarBritcliffeMP – Vice Chair for Youth @Alex_Stafford – Vice Chair for Policy All working with me, focused on getting Britain moving. 30 September 2022. 15 October 2022.
21. Web site: Bhatti . Saqib . 2022-08-16 . Liz Truss is bold leader we need to tackle inflation says SAQIB BHATTI . 2023-04-13 . Express.co.uk . en.
22. Web site: About Saqib Bhatti. 28 November 2023 .