Top Welsh Labour Senedd candidate is looking for work in the Middle East

Martin Shipton

Welsh Labour’s leading Senedd election candidate in a constituency that includes areas where the party has enjoyed rock-solid support for a century is looking for a job outside politics, we can reveal.

Mahaboob Basha’s decision to seek work in the UK or overseas strongly suggests that he does not expect to be elected in Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd, a geographically huge constituency that runs from parts of Swansea in the south to Presteigne in Radnorshire in the north.

As he holds the number one slot on Labour’s closed list for the six-member constituency, the party would be without representation in the constituency.

A projection from a recent YouGov poll that gave Plaid Cymru a 14-point lead over Reform UK in the Senedd election, with Labour in joint fourth place, suggested Labour may win just 4.6% of the vote in Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd, less than half the votes likely to be required to elect an MS.

In a message posted to his LinkedIn page on February 1 above the slogan “Mahaboob is ready to work”, Mr Basha stated: “Hi everyone! I’m seeking a new role and would appreciate your support. If you hear of any opportunities or just want to catch up, please send me a message or comment below. I’d love to reconnect. #OpenToWork.

“About me & what I’m looking for: I’m looking for International Specialist, Negotiator, Director of External Relations and Chief of Staff roles.

“I’m open to roles in MENA, Swansea and Middle East.

“I’ve previously worked at ESRI – Energy Safety Research Institute, Welsh Labour and Science and Engineering at Swansea University.”

The post was taken down within hours, but Nation.Cymru was sent a screenshot of it.

Mr Basha’s election campaign website carries a statement from him in which he explains why he is standing. Entitled “A Journey Rooted in Our Community”, he states: “My name is Mahaboob Basha, and I live in Swansea with my wife, our young son and daughter. I’m the Treasurer of the Welsh Labour Party, a UN-experienced civil servant and diplomat, a Shop Steward, and a community activist. Over two decades, it has been my honour to serve as the champion of our values in some of the grandest and most remarkable institutions in the world, and to win battles against the most stubborn opponents of working people.

“But my story didn’t begin in city halls or meeting rooms. It began in the heart of our communities. In conversations over garden gates. In village halls, echoing with hope. In the quiet resilience of neighbours who’ve had to do far more, with far less, for far too long. From Radnorshire’s hills to the valleys of Neath and Swansea, I’ve listened to your stories and seen the strength of our people. I want to bring that strength to the Senedd. Not just as a representative, but as one of you.”

He holds a BSc degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from Jagruti Degree and P.G College, Hyderabad, India and a Master of Computer Applications degree from Al-Qurmoshi Institute of Business Management, also in Hyderabad.

In 2025 TUC Cymru published an article on its website saying that participating in its development programme had given Mr Basha the confidence to stand for election to the Senedd election.

Dyslexia

The article said: “Mahaboob Basha was diagnosed with colour blindness and dyslexia in his early twenties. This gave him the resolve to stand up for and serve as an example for others facing obstacles. Now, having taken part in our Black Activist Development Programme, he’s found the confidence and skills to take his advocacy to the next level and to be a ‘voice for the voiceless’.”

In 2024 Mr Basha, in his capacity as Chair of Welsh Labour’s BAME committee, jointly issued a statement that wrongly accused Welsh journalists of having racist motives in writing about the scandals involving then First Minister Vaughan Gething.

Commenting on Mr Basha’s current search for work, a Labour source said: “This is really disheartening and crass. It’s a privilege to be selected to represent Labour as lead candidate. Especially in the communities of the old south Wales coalfield.

“We can’t pretend it’s easy but we are working really hard and everyone should be focused on getting Mahaboub elected, including him. We need to send a clear message that voting Labour is the best way to stop Reform and that’s somewhat undermined when a candidate is seeking work overseas a few months before the election.”

We sought comment from Mr Basha and/or Welsh Labour, asking the party whether as its lead candidate in Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd was not confident of being elected, the party would advise its supporters to vote tactically to reduce the number of Reform MSs elected in the constituency.

A Welsh Labour spokesperson said: “Like many candidates, Mahaboob is balancing campaigning for the election with his own work. His personal work circumstances have changed recently, but that hasn’t changed his commitment to standing to represent the people of Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd.”

We asked why Mr Basha had taken down his LinkedInpost, but did not receive a response.