It seems like yesterday that we were watching Rishi Sunak stand in front of 10 Downing Street to announce the 2024 general election. And yet, here we are, six weeks later with the election looming on the near horizon. With many of the polls predicting a comfortable Labour win tomorrow, some of the conversations have turned to what Keir Starmer’s Labour government would mean for the public. Will we see change happen? Or will we see more of the same? Only time will tell.

For the last in our Answer The Question series, Stylist sat down with Labour’s Zarah Sultana. Elected in 2019 as the MP for Coventry South, Sultana is one of the youngest MPs in parliament and the youngest Muslim MP to be elected in the UK. She also has the largest TikTok following in parliament and is a vocal part of the Labour left.

Here, she talks about challenging the status quo, the abuse she’s subjected to in her line of work and the power of hope in politics. 

What’s the most pressing issue for women right now and what are you doing about it?

“For me, and for the constituents that I support on a regular basis, it has to be the cost of living crisis. It’s affected everyone, but we also know that there’s been a gendered impact. We know women are more likely to be in lower-paid work, more likely to be single parents and more likely to be affected by cuts to public services. Austerity disproportionately affects women and this has a huge knock-on effect because women are more likely to be financially dependent on their partner. The cost of living crisis means that many women are being trapped in abusive relationships and homes, which was highlighted during the Covid-19 pandemic as women were stuck at home and unable to get help and support.

The cost of living crisis is something I’ve been campaigning against and working on a lot, both at a national and local level. I know many families in my local community worry about their kids not being able to have a hot, healthy meal. A universal provision would be able to assist in that as well as demanding a real pay rise for workers. Women are the majority of our public service workers, and if we could secure pay rises and support unions in these endeavours, we could help women and the people most affected by the cost of living crisis.”

What’s the one thing you want to achieve in your role?

“When I got elected in 2019 as one of the youngest MPs in office, I felt this duty and responsibility to speak out for young people but also to encourage people that we can do things differently. Through my maiden speech and the interventions I’ve made, I’ve tried to reiterate the point that we don’t have to accept the status quo. It’s not working for the vast majority of people; it’s just working for the super-rich. We don’t have to accept the huge inequalities in wealth and power. We don’t have to accept narratives that spread hate and division. Challenging these predominant narratives and providing a voice for alternative politics is important.

The most meaningful moments I’ve had in this job are when I’ve been stopped by young women and told they’ve watched my speeches or read things I’ve written and felt represented in our politics. It’s a huge responsibility and achievement and not something I ever take for granted. If just one person sees me and thinks that they can get involved in politics, I’ve done a good job.”

What’s been your most memorable day in politics so far?

“It’s difficult to choose. My maiden speech was definitely up there. I was so nervous about setting out my agenda so that was a huge moment. I spoke at the Durham Miners’ Gala last year, which is a working-class celebration of community and international solidarity. Trade unionists from all over the country (and world) travel to Durham and it’s such a beautiful atmosphere of joy and celebration. It was an honour to attend but being able to speak on such a huge stage with such rich history was incredible.”

How do people react when you tell them you’re a politician?

“When I’m door knocking and introducing myself in the constituency, I get a lot of people telling me I look much younger in real life. That’s a common one. Some people are also impressed with the work I’m doing, especially as an outspoken young Muslim woman who gets the level of abuse that I do. They recognise that there are additional hardships involved in my perseverance to be an MP, but I stick to my principles.

In and around parliament, it’s different. I always have to be ready, holding my pass out for security because I constantly get mistaken for others or people don’t think I’m a politician. And that’s in my workplace. I’ve even had it where I’ve been inside the chambers and senior politicians have mistaken me for a clerk, which speaks to the fact my demographic is seen as more likely to be a member of staff than an MP.”

Do you have a constituent in mind when you’re standing up representing them in parliament?

“When I speak up in parliament, I know I’m representing people outside of it. In terms of constituents, I think about so many different people: the people who are constantly being denied dignity and respect in our welfare and immigration systems. The pensioners who are struggling to pay their bills. The families who are relying on food banks. The kids who are going to sleep on a hungry stomach. Even just yesterday, I was visiting a school and there was a family at the end of the day who wanted to talk to me about their overcrowded housing situation. They told me about how their child is autistic and is struggling in an environment with so many people in one room and how they desperately need to find more suitable accommodation.

I always say to people here in Coventry that I’m only able to pour from my cup because I fill it up in my constituency and its community spaces. When I go to Westminster, I’m taking all those experiences with me because I’m seeing and hearing it, and I want to do something about it desperately.”

What piece of criticism as a politician has stuck in your mind over the years?

“Something I hear quite often is that all politicians are the same and nothing will ever change. I understand why people feel cynical; politicians and politics have failed people in this country for far too long. For me, being a politician isn’t about advancing yourself; it’s about advancing our politics.

I find this criticism especially difficult because when people think things won’t change then that turns into political apathy, which benefits the status quo and the people who currently hold all the power and wealth. It’s why I try to encourage people to continue organising, mobilising and voting so that people can believe that another world is possible. Hope and imagination are powerful political tools. It wasn’t long ago that people were fighting for the right to vote, the right to sick pay, maternity care and even the inception of the two-day weekend. All these things were won through struggle, and we can do it again.”

Do you remember the last lie you told?

“Probably that football is coming home. I always believe in my heart that it will come home but right now I’m struggling. I keep saying yes, it’s coming home. But that belief is a challenge right now.”

How do you keep your brain sharp?

“You have to be open to constantly learning. I learn something from everyone I meet, whether it’s volunteers coming from the University of Warwick to campaign or people whose doors we’re knocking on. I’m always keen to talk to people about their experiences, even those who disagree with me politically. Different perspectives are important. I approach this job as someone who listens as much as possible and speaks as little as possible.”

Why should a voter trust you?

“Tony Benn once said that politicians can be weathervanes or signposts. So, weathervanes don’t have deep political convictions and tend to change depending on which way the wind (or the polls, in this case) blows. Signposts have deeper convictions and try to bring people with them and make that change happen. I aspire to be the kind of politician Tony Benn was – a signpost – as fundamentally, I got into politics because I was angry about how young people were being treated. I was angry that communities were being attacked through austerity.

I’m determined to build a more equal and democratic society. I don’t do this work because it’s in my interest or it’ll serve me in some way down the line; I genuinely want to see change happen. Approaching politics as something as serious as life or death is very grounding and a reminder that this job is impactful and affects people’s lives.”

What would make you walk away from politics?

“A lot is trying to push me away from politics. I receive a lot of horrific abuse and it’s enough to make anyone think about packing it in. But I’ve been involved in politics for all of my adult life, and I’m motivated by the desire to win – not electorally speaking – but to see real change happen in our society and for everyone to feel like they have a stake in politics. Until we achieve the socialist dream, I’m committed to sticking with it. There’s a lot of work to do and I see my role as bridging the work being done by trade unions and grassroots movements and bringing that into parliament. It’s about being in those spaces, challenging narratives and fighting for a better world. That’s what keeps me going.”

What keeps you awake at night?

“I have to say it’s what’s happening in Gaza right now. I can’t stop thinking about the images and videos we see on our screens constantly. Children blown to pieces. Families looking for their loved ones in the rubble of their homes. I can never unsee those images. And I don’t want to. They’re a painful reminder of what’s been allowed to continue for eight months. In terms of our own government’s complicity in the horror, that is something that is shameful and should keep everyone awake – knowing that there are people being killed in Gaza with British-made weapons. We need more accountability in our politics because this shouldn’t be allowed to happen.”

Answer The Question is Stylist’s home for all things voting and elections. In the series, we sit down with MPs from across the political spectrum to get to the heart of who they are and, more importantly, why we should trust them with our vote.

Image: Labour party; Zarah Sultana