Former Labour candidate Faiza Shaheen announces independent run for parliament

Former Labour candidate Faiza Shaheen, who was barred from standing following a probe into her social media use, has announced she will run as an independent in the general election.

Shaheen, who was due to stand for Labour in Chingford and Woodford Green, yesterday announced her resignation from the party claiming she had faced “unfair treatment”.

She has now announced her bid to stand in the same constituency as an independent.

In a statement posted on social media, she said: “I am standing here to win, to beat the Conservatives, to finish what we started.

“I am standing to give a voice to my community – the community that made me and put their faith in me.”

READ MORE: Shaheen: Deselection shows members ‘mean nothing’ as she quits Labour

Chingford and Woodford Green in north London is the constituency of former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith – but is widely seen as a target for Labour.

Shaheen contested the seat for the party in 2019, coming within three percentage points of beating Duncan Smith.

She posted on X (formerly Twitter): “On July 4, Chingford and Woodford Green faces a simple choice. Change with Labour, or five more years of Tory failure and chaos.

“We need less rhetoric, and more results. Time to get on with the job.”

A Labour spokesperson previously told LabourList regarding their candidate selections: “We have selected a fantastic group of candidates in place for the General Election on Thursday 4 July.

“They will be campaigning across the country to bring Labour’s message of change to voters.”

Read more of our 2024 general election coverage here.

If you have anything to share that we should be looking into or publishing about this or any other topic involving Labour or about the election, on record or strictly anonymously, contact us at [email protected]. 

Sign up to LabourList’s morning email for a briefing everything Labour, every weekday morning. 

If you can help sustain our work too through a monthly donation, become one of our supporters here.

And if you or your organisation might be interested in partnering with us on sponsored events or content, email [email protected].