Ajmal Masroor is standing for the Liberal Democrats in West Ham. The current MP, Labour's Tony Banks has a majority of 19,494. The Muslim voting population is 9,109. I grew up in East London. I went to schools locally, colleges and university in London and currently run a successful business here in the East End. As a community development worker and cultural relations consultant for over ten years, I have developed extensive grass-roots knowledge and expertise. I am a hybrid, a mixture of British and Bangladeshi, cutting across cultural divides, ethnic differences, different generations and religious identity. That is my strength. I have always wanted to make a difference and change the world. Growing up, I felt very motivated by Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela. They changed the world even though they faced harsh environments. I see an amazing example in the life of the Prophet of social and political activism; of how a Muslim must get involved to make a serious difference in every sphere of life. Being politically active is an Islamic duty. It is the only way Muslims will become fully integrated in society; we must participate in every aspect to ensure a secure future. However, once elected it is the duty of an MP to represent everyone. My skills and awareness of the opinions of the people I represent are a more important part of my political decision-making than my being Muslim. The Lib Dems are the only party not driven by ideology. They are more open to debates, and truly focus on freedom, fairness and honesty. Their policies have always been balanced, and reflect a desire to serve justice. Labour has miserably failed to keep to its promises. It is responsible for failing health care, and the introduction of foundation hospitals, schools and its PFI contractors, higher council tax bills, and introduction of tuition fees. Furthermore, they took us into an illegal war on Iraq. The Conservatives are not even worth our time and effort. Their reactionary, right wing policies speak volumes. When people see a young British Bangladeshi Muslim enter the Houses of Parliament they will feel proud and empowered. I want to genuinely represent my constituents. I wouldn't want to become a politician who only comes down to the grass roots during elections but is not available any other time. Being younger, I will be able to motivate youth to get more involved in enhancing their lives, finding better opportunities and most importantly, inspire them to excel and overcome apathy. Important issues for me include providing free education for all, a caring and modern health service, affordable housing, fairer distribution of wealth, care for the elderly and young and equal opportunities for all communities. If I was in parliament at the time, I would have voted against the Iraq invasion. I would have worked relentlessly to persuade MPs to vote against the invasion and put as much pressure as I could on the government. I would also have voted against the anti-terror legislation. We need to protect our country from terrorist attacks but this doesn't mean we need to make sham legislation. I believe the core of our liberal democracy ensures the rule of law. The independence of our judiciary, freedom, liberty and human rights are enshrined in our system. This government is responsible for eroding all those fundamental features of our democracy. It's unlikely with the Lib Dems, but if I was faced with pressure to vote for any unethical policies, I would let my views be known very clearly and stand by my belief. This article appeared in the March/April issue of Emel Magazine, the Muslim Lifestyle Magazine www.emelmagazine.com