Leanne Mohamad
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Beal Sixth Form
- Public speaker
- activist
Leanne Mohamad | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 2000 (age 25) Ilford, London, England |
| Education | Wanstead High School Beal Sixth Form |
| Alma mater | King's College London |
| Occupations |
|
| Known for | Candidacy in the 2024 United Kingdom general election |
| Political party | Independent (since 2023) |
| Other political affiliations | Labour (until 2023) |
Leanne Mohamad (born September 2000) is a British-Palestinian activist who stood as an independent candidate in the 2024 United Kingdom general election against Wes Streeting, the Labour Party incumbent and shadow health secretary, in the constituency of Ilford North. She stood for election in protest against Labour's stance on the war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza.[1]
Although Mohamad was not elected to Parliament, Streeting's unexpectedly narrow margin of victory provoked media and political attention, especially in the context of the victory at the general election of several other independent candidates who stood on platforms critical of Labour's response to the war in Gaza.[2][3][4]
Leanne Mohamad was born in September 2000 in Ilford, East London, and raised by Palestinian parents.[5][6][7]
In 2016, while a 15-year-old student at Wanstead High School, Mohamad gave a speech on the plight faced by Palestinians as part of the Jack Petchey Foundation's "Speak Out" Challenge. She won the Redbridge borough final, but faced online harassment and false accusations of blood libel after a video of her speech was published online. In response, the foundation's Speakers Trust briefly removed the video from their YouTube channel citing safeguarding concerns, before reinstating it after consulting with her family. Wes Streeting, in his capacity as the local member of Parliament for Ilford North, condemned the abuse and argued that her speech could not be considered antisemitic.[8][9] She studied her A levels at Beal High School Sixth Form[citation needed] and then progressed to King's College London University.[citation needed]
