LONDON: Indian-Origin British MP Opens Up On Mental Health Struggle: “I Hope…”

LONDON: An Indian-origin UK Member of
Parliament, who is also Britain’s youngest MP in the House of Commons, on
Tuesday announced on social media that she will be taking “several
weeks” off her parliamentary work for mental health reasons.

Nadia
Whittome, born in the UK to a Punjabi father and representing her birthplace of
Nottingham in central England for the Opposition Labour Party since her win in
the December 2019 General Election, said she was suffering from post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD) and had tried to balance her full-time work with the
condition but had now been advised by her doctor to take time off.

The
24-year-old, traditionally referred to as the “Baby of the House” in
the Commons as its youngest member, said she had decided to be open about her
“mental health struggle” to help others talk about similar issues.

“Over
recent months, I have been battling some persistent health issues. Until now, I
have been attempting to manage them alongside continuing with my full time work
as an MP,” Ms Whittome said in a statement posted on Twitter.

Unfortunately,
it has become clear that this is not feasible and I have been advised by my
doctor that I need to take several weeks off in order for my health to
improve,” she said.

The MP
added that she feels it is important for her to be honest that it is mental
ill-health she is suffering from – specifically post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD).

“One
in four people will experience mental health problems each year, but there is
still a great deal of shame and stigma surrounding it. Through being open about
my own mental health struggle, I hope that others will also feel able to talk
about theirs, and that I can play a small role in creating greater acceptance
and facilitating healthier discussions around this issue,” she said.

She
thanked the Labour Party leader, Sir Keir Starmer, and his political secretary
Jenny Chapman for their “kindness” as she asked her constituents to
continue reaching out to her “fantastic” staff as normal, who would
support their needs until she returns to the job she loves.

Starmer
wished her well, adding: “I respect Nadia’s bravery in speaking openly
about her mental health and I look forward to welcoming her back to
Parliament.”

At the
peak of the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020, Whittome had
returned to her previous role of a care-worker on a part-time basis and said
she would donate the salary from her role at the ExtraCare retirement home to a
local COVID-19 support fund.

Following
her election in 2019, she had promised to donate a large part of her salary to
her local community, stating at the time that she hoped it “sparks a
conversation about earnings”.