Uma Kumaran, daughter of Lankan war refugees, becomes first Tamil woman to win UK general election

CHENNAI: A young Labour Party member created history by becoming the first Tamil-origin woman to become a member of the UK Parliament.

Uma Kumaran won from the Stratford and Bow constituency on behalf of the Labour Party in the British parliamentary elections, securing 19,145 votes. The Conservative Party candidate who contested against her finished fourth with only 3,144 votes.

The victory made her the first Tamil Eelam woman MP in British history. Her family migrated to England to escape from the brutal civil war in Sri Lanka that killed thousands of Tamils.

Chief Minister MK Stalin extended congratulations to Uma Kumaran, expressing deep pride in her achievement and its significance for the whole Tamil community.