The Right Honourable
The Lord Sheikh
Official portrait, 2018
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
In office
27 June 2006 – 22 September 2022
Life peerage
Personal details
Born(1941-06-13)13 June 1941
British Kenya
Died22 September 2022(2022-09-22) (aged 81)
Political partyConservative
EducationCity College of London
Websitewww.lordsheikh.com

Mohamed Iltaf Sheikh, Baron Sheikh (13 June 1941 – 22 September 2022) was a British politician and businessman. He was formerly an insurance broker and underwriter.

Early life and professional career

Mohamed Sheikh was born in Kenya and raised in Uganda. He arrived in the UK in 1962 and later studied at the Holborn College of Law, Languages and Commerce and the City College of London. Lord Sheikh then received training at a major insurance company, Sun Alliance and London Group.

Previously, he was the chairman and Chief Executive of Lloyd's Brokers, Camberford Law PLC.

He was also chairman of companies relating to Property and other businesses.[1]

Barony

Lord Sheikh was appointed a life peer in 2006 after he was nominated by Michael Howard MP, then Leader of the Conservative Party. The life barony conferred upon Mohamed Iltaf Sheikh was gazetted on 6 June 2006 by the name, style and title of Baron Sheikh, of Cornhill in the City of London.[2]

He founded and Co-Chaired the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Islamic and Ethical Finance in British Parliament. He was co-chair of the APPG on Turkey and the Prevention of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity. He was also a vice-chair of the APPGs on Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Nepal, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.

Conservative Party

Sheikh first joined the Conservative Party in 2004. He founded the Conservative Muslim Forum and chaired it for several years.[3] He was President of the Forum.[4] He sat on the Conservative benches in the House of Lords and he was actively involved in promoting the Conservative Party to ethnic minorities.

National Muslim War Memorial Trust

Lord Sheikh was the chairman and a founding member of the recently established National Muslim War Memorial Trust.[5]

Defamation case

On 15 August 2018 MailOnline published an article headed "EXCLUSIVE: Top Tory Peer’s appearance at Corbyn's 'hate conference' in Tunisia comes after YEARS of rubbing shoulders with Islamists, hate preachers and Holocaust deniers".[6] This started the Corbyn wreath-laying controversy. Lord Sheikh took action against the publishers, Associated Newspapers Ltd who later accepted fault, admitted their allegations were false, and issued an apology.[7][8]

Personal life

Sheikh died on 22 September 2022, at the age of 81.[9][10]

In Media

On a podcast with Rajan Nazran, he describes that despite being born in Kenya and raised in Uganda, he holds a deep Indian identity at heart. He reflects on the mere existence of secularism in India, highlighting how the court of Akbar practised it more effectively than contemporary society. His vision encompasses a world where mutual respect transcends divisions of all kinds. Drawing inspiration from his ancestor, a unifying king, Lord Sheikh embraces the philosophy of excellence, community service, and altruism. His philanthropic efforts touch the lives of many.

Arms

Coat of arms of Mohamed Sheikh, Baron Sheikh
Adopted
2007
Coronet
Coronet of a Baron
Crest
A peacock in its pride Azure beaked and legged and crested Gules the tail eyed Or the wings displayed and each supporting a quill Argent spined Or.
Escutcheon
Argent four rows of pallets couped first and third alternately Gules and Azure the second and fourth Azure and Gules over all on a pale Vert a pale Or charged with three crescents Vert.[11]
Supporters
On either side statant upon an egg Or a dove wings inverted and addorsed Argent beaked and legged Gules.
Symbolism
The peacock symbolises vision, self-expression, spirituality and integrity. The doves on either side of the crest represent the two doves who nested in front of a cave where Mohammed was hiding from his enemies. The latter seeing the nesting doves assumed that the cave must be empty and so passed by allowing him to remain undiscovered. The crest is a shield with a central golden strip with three green crescents. On either side are rows of books in red and blue. The doves on each side of the shield convey the message that Islam is a religion of peace. It signifies the importance of education as the peacock is holding quill pens. Lord Sheikh's crest says “Iqra” which is Arabic for “Read”, the first word of the Quran to be revealed to Muhammad. The motto emphasises the importance of education.


Bibliography

  • Sheikh, Mohamed (2017). Emperor of the five rivers: the life and times of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. London: I.B.Tauris. ISBN 978-1-84885-754-4. OCLC 894340672.
  • Sheikh, Mohamed (2019). An Indian In The House: The lives and times of the four trailblazers who first brought India to the British Parliament. [S.l.]: Mereo Books. ISBN 978-1-86151-490-5. OCLC 1080075581.

References

  1. ↑ "About Lord Sheikh – Lord Sheikh". Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  2. ↑ "No. 58006". The London Gazette. 9 June 2006. p. 7933.
  3. ↑ "Conservative Muslim Forum – Promoting a party for all". Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  4. ↑ "President – Conservative Muslim Forum". Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  5. ↑ "National Muslim War Memorial Trust (NMWMT) – Lord Sheikh". Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  6. ↑ "In the Media – Lord Sheikh". Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  7. ↑ "Lord Sheikh wins libel action against the Mail". Hamlins LLP London. 30 July 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  8. ↑ "Britain's Lord Iltaf Sheikh wins defamation case, Daily Mail publisher apologises". www.geo.tv. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  9. ↑ "Parliamentary career for Lord Sheikh". UK Parliament. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  10. ↑ "Lord Sheikh passes away aged 81". Pukaar News. 23 September 2022.
  11. ↑ Debrett's Peerage. 2019. p. 4349.
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