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Salman Shaheen

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Salman Shaheen
Member of Hounslow Council
Incumbent
Assumed office
8 May 2018
Personal details
BornDecember 1984
Norwich, England
Political partyLabour
Alma mater
OccupationPolitician • Journalist
Websitehttps://salmanshaheen.com/

Salman Shaheen (born December 1984) is a British politician, journalist, and novelist.[1]

Early life

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Shaheen was born in Norwich and grew up in Suffolk. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Social and Political Sciences from Jesus College, Cambridge and later a Master of Arts (MA) in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia.[2]

Political career

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In 2018, Shaheen was elected as a Labour Party councillor for the Isleworth ward in the London Borough of Hounslow. He is Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure, and Public Spaces on Hounslow Council.[3]

In 2022, Shaheen launched 'Grow for the Future', a policy to turn neglected land into educational food growing spaces paired with schools in deprived urban areas.[4][5][6]

'Grow for the Future' has been endorsed by actor Jim Carter who opened the first site with Shaheen in 2024 and called on other councils to introduce similar initiatives in their own boroughs.[7][8][9] The scheme received backing from the UK government and the Greater London Authority, with funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.[10] One orchard in Brentford was planted in partnership with Brentford FC.[11]

Shaheen was also involved in the campaign to preserve Park Road Allotments in Isleworth. The allotments, historically used to provide food for soldiers returning from World War I, faced potential development by the Duke of Northumberland.[12][13][14][15][16] The proposed plans were rejected by the Planning Inspectorate in 2023 due to concerns about the impact on heritage assets.[17][18][19][20]

In 2024, Shaheen partnered with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver to launch a primary school food education programme to tackle childhood obesity and health inequalities by teaching cooking skills to children and their families.[21][22]

In 2024, Shaheen defended Gunnersbury Park in the London Borough of Hounslow from criticism by local residents who expressed concern about the number of music festivals held there.[23] After Hounslow Council faced criticism from some residents who said that the policy to replace cash parking meters with a pay-by-phone system was not inclusive, Shaheen introduced card parking meters in 2024.[24][25]

Journalism career

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In 2014, Shaheen was editor-in-chief of The World Weekly.[26] He has bylines in The Guardian, New Statesman, Huffington Post, Byline Times, and Times of India.[27][28][29][30][31]

Literary work

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Shaheen’s debut novel, Freebourne, will be published by Roundfire Books, an imprint of Collective Ink.[32]

References

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  1. ^ "Salman SHAHEEN personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 2025-05-20.
  2. ^ "Salman Shaheen". Collective Ink. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
  3. ^ "Councillor details - Councillor Salman Shaheen". democraticservices.hounslow.gov.uk. 2023-06-01. Archived from the original on 2023-06-01. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
  4. ^ Bawden, Tom (2022-11-15). "Hundreds of allotments to be created in wasteland to help families tackle cost of living crisis". The i Paper. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
  5. ^ "New Hounslow allotments to teach children about healthy living". 2022-11-16. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
  6. ^ "London council to use wasteland to help educate children about growing food". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-11-22. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
  7. ^ Bawden, Tom (2024-06-08). "The fly-tipping wasteland that could tackle the UK's food price crisis". The i Paper. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
  8. ^ Davis, Anna (2023-11-05). "Actor Jim Carter backs London scheme to turn unused land into allotments for children". The Standard. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
  9. ^ Lynch, Philip James (2025-03-05). "First look at new allotments and gardens as wastelands transformed". My London. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
  10. ^ Davis, Anna (2023-05-26). "Allotments plan for wasteland to help pupils learn about food". The Standard. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
  11. ^ "Brentford and Hounslow Council open Robin Grove Park Orchard". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
  12. ^ Burford, Rachael (2022-02-11). "Duke of Northumberland loses bid to build on Syon house allotments". The Standard. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
  13. ^ Media, P. A. (2023-08-01). "Homes proposal effort 'to line' Duke of Northumberland's pockets, inquiry told". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
  14. ^ "Isleworth: Allotments plan bid to line duke's pockets, inquiry told". BBC News. 2023-08-01. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
  15. ^ Cuff, Madeleine (2021-06-02). "Duke of Northumberland accused of 'bully boy tactics' over plan to turn allotments into housing". The i Paper. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
  16. ^ Chappell, Arthi Nachiappan, Peter (2021-10-14). "Syon House peasants' revolt sees off Duke of Northumberland". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved 2025-04-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ Abdul, Geneva (2023-12-12). "Duke of Northumberland loses fight to build on green space in west London". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
  18. ^ Buchanan, Abigail (2024-01-07). "The allotment gardeners who took on a duke – and won". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
  19. ^ Bawden, Tom (2023-12-12). "Duke of Northumberland loses appeal to build flats on allotments". The i Paper. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
  20. ^ "Isleworth: Allotment campaigners win 'David v Goliath battle'". BBC News. 2023-12-12. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
  21. ^ Keane, Daniel (2024-12-02). "Jamie Oliver launches campaign to target child obesity at London primary schools". The Standard. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
  22. ^ Bawden, Tom (2024-11-30). "Jamie Oliver's five tips to get your kids off the sofa and into the kitchen". The i Paper. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
  23. ^ "Gunnersbury Park: Concerns festivals are summer of disruption". www.bbc.com. 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
  24. ^ Bennett, Rory (2024-02-29). "London borough's new 'state of the art' parking which will affect thousands". My London. Retrieved 2025-06-11.
  25. ^ Kelly, Kieran (2022-10-08). "Hounslow Council 'discriminating' people who can't pay for parking without cash". My London. Retrieved 2025-06-11.
  26. ^ "The World Weekly | Startup Salon | The Good Web Guide". archive.ph. 2021-01-12. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
  27. ^ "Mein Lahore Hoon". HuffPost UK. 2016-04-04. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
  28. ^ Shaheen, Salman (2013-09-12). "If Left Unity doesn't provide an alternative, who will?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
  29. ^ Shaheen, Salman (2013-04-10). "Pakistan Calling: Still hope at the end of the line". New Statesman. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
  30. ^ "Swim Against This Tide". The Times of India. 2010-02-19. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
  31. ^ Shaheen, Salman (2025-02-14). "'I'm a Labour Councillor and This Is Why My Party Should Ground Heathrow Plans and Rejoin the EU Instead'". Byline Times. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
  32. ^ "Roundfire Books signs debut thriller from Salman Shaheen". The Bookseller. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
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