Dewsbury and Batley.

Elected in 2024 as an independent for Dewsbury and Batley, Iqbal Mohamed has carved out a notably combative profile. He voted in April 2026 to refer Prime Minister Starmer to the Privileges Committee over the Mandelson appointment, opposed both sets of government asylum support regulations, and repeatedly backed Lords amendments against the government's wishes on the English Devolution Bill. A November 2025 speech describing the West as the "enemy" drew sharp national criticism from the Daily Express and questions about his suitability for office -- though local outlets have covered him more favourably, highlighting his WASPI advocacy letter to ministers and a claimed 28 constituency surgeries in his first year.

His parliamentary record is mixed in discipline but active in volume: 370 contributions across 206 debates places him well above average for engagement, though a 61% voting participation rate is below the Commons norm. He votes with workers' rights positions almost unanimously (95%) and supports parliamentary scrutiny broadly (78%), but scores just 16% on pro-business measures and 17% on immigration control -- a significant gap from the Labour mainstream he often votes alongside. His five rebel votes since January 2026, all backing opposition amendments on taxation, medical training merit selection, and fuel duty, signal willingness to break with informal allies when it suits him.

Two stance deviations stand out. He votes at 100% for armed forces welfare -- well above other independents -- yet scores 0% on pro-housebuilding, private school VAT, and educational equality measures, diverging sharply from the independent bloc average. His speech activity concentrates on social care, the economy, defence, and health, consistent with constituency pressures in a post-industrial Yorkshire seat. No committee data is available, which limits visibility into his behind-the-scenes parliamentary work.