Background
Mahmood was born and raised in Birmingham and is the daughter of the Birmingham Labour Party"s chairman.
Mahmood was born and raised in Birmingham and is the daughter of the Birmingham Labour Party"s chairman.
She graduated from Lincoln College, Oxford, where she studied law and was the president of the Junior Common Room.
Her family roots are from Mirpur, in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, as stated on her own personal webpage. In 2010 Mahmood became the Shadow Minister (Home Affairs) and from 2011 to 2013 she was the Shadow Minister (Business, innovation and skills). She supported a revocation of the ban on the wearing of niqabs at Birmingham Metropolitan College.
In August 2014, Mahmood was accused of promoting "mob rule" after she boasted on YouTube that she had recently participated in a protest calling for the boycotting of Israeli goods that temporarily forced a supermarket to close.
A spokesperson for Labour party leader Editor Miliband later stated that "Editor Miliband has been clear that Labour does not support boycotts of Israel and we resolutely oppose the isolation of Israel. Having spoken to her, Shabana has made clear that she does not support calls for a boycott of Israel but supports the proper labelling of goods from the region." On 21 August 2014, Mahmood announced that she would continue to support boycotts of products from Israeli settlements.
Mahmood stated she has "a difference of view with my party." In justifying her position, Mahmood stated that "We all agree that Israeli settlements on the West Bank are illegal under international law and they are not part of Israel. As such, they are an obstacle to a two state solution and a lasting peace between Israel and Palestine." However, Mahmood denied that she supported a boycott of products from Israel proper, stating that "There is no disagreement that a more general boycott of Israel would not contribute towards a lasting peace in the region.".
55th United Kingdom Parliament. 56th United Kingdom Parliament]
Simon Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Leadership Council sharply criticized Mahmood, arguing that "lieutenant is completely inappropriate for a Member of Parliament to promote public disorder", while Conservative Member of Parliament Mike Freer stated that "Foreign any Parliamentarian to encourage mob rule as a way of protesting is shameful.".