Tahir Ali

Ali has represented the Nechells Ward on Birmingham City Council since 1999. He served as part of the council's cabinet from 2000 to 2003 and 2012 to 2016, (shadow cabinet 2004 to 2012) his responsibilities including local services, development, jobs, skills, transport and the economy.[3] In 2012, he was the only ethnic minority member of the team.[4]

He was selected as the Hall Green candidate after Hall Green Constituency Labour Party members overwhelmingly voted to open selections for their Parliamentary Candidate in October 2019.[5] The snap general election called for 12 December meant that the candidate selection process was undertaken by the Labour Party's National Executive Committee.[6]

The campaign was marred by intimidation from former MP Roger Godsiff's supporters, resulting in three police investigations, one arrest for malicious communications and police patrols outside polling stations.[7] Nevertheless, Ali retained the seat with a sizeable majority and hoped to "bring communities together".[8]

Ali endorsed Rebecca Long-Bailey in the 2020 Labour Party leadership election and Angela Rayner in the deputy leadership election.[9]

In April 2020, Ali was given a formal warning by police after he broke government restrictions by attending a funeral with up to 100 mourners during the coronavirus pandemic.[10] West Midlands Labour Party Police commissioner David Jamieson also publicly condemned Ali's conduct, stating that his actions were "totally irresponsible" and that he "is not serving his constituents by endangering their lives".[11]