Sojan Joseph, a native of the serene village of Kaipuzha in Kottayam, has made history by becoming the first Malayali-origin member of the British Parliament. He capitalized on a wave of anti-incumbency sentiment against the Conservative Party, which enabled the Labour Party to return to power after 14 years. The 49-year-old Joseph won his seat from Ashford, a constituency in Kent county.
Ashford has been a Conservative stronghold since its creation in 1885, making Sojan’s victory particularly remarkable. Sojan, a nurse who has lived in the UK with his family for the past 22 years, received 15,262 votes. He defeated Damian Green, a former first secretary of state and seven-time Tory MP from Ashford, by a margin of 1,779 votes.
“We were all having a sleepless night until news trickled in this morning about my brother’s stunning victory. It was a tight contest as the seat was a Conservative stronghold. We’re so happy for him,” said a delighted Alice Joseph, 60, Sojan’s eldest sister.
The entire family and relatives gathered at Sojan’s Chamakkalayil (Anjayil) home to celebrate the victory. Several politicians, including Kerala Congress (M) chairman Jose K Mani and former Kottayam MP Thomas Chazhikadan, also visited the family to congratulate them.
Sojan’s background in psychiatric nursing has significantly influenced his political ambitions. He explained, “I arrived in the UK as an ordinary nurse. There are numerous Malayali nurses residing in the UK, and I see this as a chance to be an advocate for them,” Sojan shared in an interview with a TV channel.
“This is a moment of pride not only for me but the whole country. Ever since his candidature was announced, he was confident. Now from serving as a nurse, he is set to serve as a member of the House of Commons,” commented Sojan’s 85-year-old father, C.T. Joseph Chamakkalayil. He is a farmer who, alongside his late wife Elikutty, faced many struggles raising their three sons and four daughters.
Sojan currently serves as the director of the NHS (National Health Service) Kent and Medway. He is married to Brita, also a nurse, who hails from Irinjalakuda, Thrissur, and the couple has three children.
Sojan’s last visit to Kerala was in March to observe the first anniversary of his mother’s death.
Having been settled in Ashford since 2002, Sojan’s relationship with the local community extends beyond politics. “It’s about understanding local issues and committing to solving the unique challenges of Ashford constituency that weighed in majorly. His candidacy speaks of a love affair with the region that spans two decades,” remarked Joe Palathunkal, a writer and Sojan’s brother-in-law.
Sojan’s educational journey began at Kaipuzha St. George’s School, where he completed his matriculation. He then pursued a three-year psychiatric nursing course at B.R. Ambedkar Medical College in Bengaluru. After working in northern India for some time, he moved to London in 2001, where he began working at William Harvey Hospital before moving to Ashford in September 2002.
However, Sojan was not the only Malayali contesting in the elections. Eric Sukumaran, another Malayali emigrant, contested from Southgate and Wood Green on a Conservative ticket but finished second to Bambos Charalambous. The 38-year-old Sukumaran garnered 8,037 votes, compared to the 23,337 votes received by his Labour opponent.
Reflecting on his electoral defeat, Eric stated, “It was the Labour wave and I’m nevertheless pleased to come second, ahead of Reform and the Greens, who managed to upset a lot of races. This will not stop me from contesting future elections.” Eric is the son of Joni and Anita Sukumaran, natives of Attingal and Varkala, respectively.
Both Sojan Joseph and Eric Sukumaran symbolize the aspirations and political engagement of the Malayali community in the UK. While Sojan’s groundbreaking victory marks a historic milestone, Eric’s campaign demonstrates the growing political interest among the Malayali diaspora in the British political landscape.
