{{Short description|British politician (1954–2012)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Use British English|date=March 2024}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = Marsha Singh.jpg | honorific_prefix = | name = Marsha Singh | office = Member of Parliament<br />for Bradford West | parliament = | majority = | predecessor = Max Madden | successor = George Galloway | term_start = 1 May 1997 | term_end = 2 March 2012 | birth_date = {{Birth date|1954|10|11|df=yes}} | birth_place = Punjab, India | death_date = {{death date and age|2012|7|17|1954|10|11|df=y}} | death_place = Dominican Republic | spouse = | party = Labour | relations = | children = 2 | alma_mater = Loughborough University | occupation = | profession = | signature = | website = | footnotes = }} '''Marsha Singh''' (11 October 1954 – 17 July 2012) was a British Labour Party politician, and the member of parliament (MP) for Bradford West from 1997 to 2012. Singh stood down due to ill health.
Singh had a degree in Languages, Politics and Economics of Modern Europe from Loughborough University. He was part of the Directorate of Education for Bradford City Council from 1983 to 1990 and worked for the Bradford Community Health Trust from 1990 to 1997. Singh originally lived in the Manningham Ward of the area, and later moved to Allerton.
At the 2010 general election, Singh managed to increase his majority by 5% with nearly 6,000 votes more than the second placed Zahid Iqbal, despite the Bradford West constituency being a Tory target. Singh managed a 14% majority over the Conservatives, even larger than that he had achieved when first elected in Labour's 1997 landslide election victory.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/constituency/750/bradford-west |title=Bradford West: Constituency | Politics | guardian.co.uk |work=The Guardian|accessdate=6 August 2011}}</ref>
On 29 February 2012, he announced his intention to retire owing to ill health.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/9561895.Bradford_MP_Marsha_Singh_to_quit/ |title=Bradford MP Marsha Singh to quit|date=March 2012 |work=Bradford Telegraph and Argus |accessdate=1 March 2012}}</ref> He officially vacated his seat by becoming Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds on 2 March 2012.<ref>[http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/press_17_12.htm Three Hundreds of Chiltern], HM Treasury, 2 March 2012.</ref> A by-election in the constituency was held on 29 March 2012 and the seat was a gain for George Galloway of the Respect Party, who benefitted from a huge swing against the Labour Party.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/mar/30/george-galloway-bradford-west-byelection |title= George Galloway wins Bradford West by-election |date=29 March 2012 |location=London |work=The Guardian |first=Patrick |last=Wintour}}</ref>
Singh was married with two children and four grandchildren. He died four months after resigning, while on holiday in the Dominican Republic.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/9821832.Tributes_are_paid_as_former_Bradford_MP_Marsha_Singh_dies/ |work=Bradford Telegraph and Argus |date=18 July 2012 |title=Tributes are paid as former Bradford MP Marsha Singh dies |last=O'Rourke |first=Tanya}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20010517124346/http://politics.guardian.co.uk/person/0,9290,-4792,00.html Guardian Unlimited Politics – Ask Aristotle: Marsha Singh MP] *[https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/marsha_singh/bradford_west TheyWorkForYou.com – Marsha Singh MP] *[https://www.theguardian.com/profile/marsha-singh?INTCMP=SRCH As a contributor] for The Guardian *{{C-SPAN}}
{{S-start}} {{S-par|uk}} {{succession box | title = Member of Parliament for Bradford West | years = 1997 – 2012 | before = Max Madden | after = George Galloway }} {{S-end}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Marsha}} Category:1954 births Category:2012 deaths Category:Alumni of Loughborough University Category:Indian emigrants to the United Kingdom Category:Labour Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Category:People from Punjab, India Category:UK MPs 1997–2001 Category:UK MPs 2001–2005 Category:UK MPs 2005–2010 Category:UK MPs 2010–2015 Category:Members of Parliament for Bradford West Category:British people of Indian descent Category:British people of Punjabi descent