Leicester South.

Shockat Adam is one of a handful of independents who consistently votes against the government rather than abstaining -- and his recent record reinforces that pattern. In April he backed a motion to refer Prime Minister Keir Starmer to the Privileges Committee over the Mandelson appointment, opposed government motions on Lords amendments to the English Devolution Bill across multiple votes, and voted against asylum regulations he argued risked destituting vulnerable people. Earlier this year he voted against the National Insurance salary-sacrifice bill, siding with critics who warned it would harm lower-income workers' pension saving. With five rebel votes logged against the independent majority position since late 2025, he is not a passive presence.

His participation rate of 62% sits below the Commons average, though independents without party whipping structures often show lower figures. Where he does vote, he is strongly anti-employer NI increase (100% aligned), broadly pro-workers' rights (74%) and pro-climate action (77%), but markedly sceptical of business interests (24% aligned) and fiscal consolidation measures (29%). He has made 278 contributions across 230 debates -- an active speaking record -- with defence, social care, health, and the economy dominating his topics. He holds no committee seats.

His background as an optometrist shapes some interventions directly: he called for a mandatory ten-year road safety eye test for drivers in January 2026, drawing on clinical expertise. He won Leicester South in 2024 on a platform heavily focused on Gaza, unseating Labour's Jon Ashworth, and Gaza-related concerns remain a visible thread in his parliamentary activity. News coverage over the past 90 days is broadly neutral across 83 articles, spanning crime, transport, and local cultural issues, with no strongly positive or negative recent coverage. No voting data predates July 2024.