Rehman Chishti

Rehman Chishti is a politician who was elected British Member of Parliament (MP) for Gillingham and Rainham, in the 2010 general election. Rehman, who was born on 4 October 1978 in Muzaffarabad, grew up in Gillingham where he attended Richmond Infant School, Napier Primary School, Fort Luton High School, Rainham Mark Grammar School and Chatham Grammar School for Girls.

Rehman completed his law degree at Aberystwyth University of Wales in 2000. He then passed his Bar examinations at the Inns of Court School of Law in August 2001 and  was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn in the same year.

Rehman briefly worked as a paralegal for a solicitors' firm in Kent. He then secured pupillage in 2002 at Goldsmith Chambers in London after which he was invited to stay to become a tenant.

Chishti has worked as an advisor to former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, while in self-imposed exile (1999–2007), and to Conservative MP Francis Maude (2006-07).

Chisti has been a member of Medway Council since 2003, serving as the Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Enforcement, 2007-10. In the 2005 general election Chishti unsuccessfully contested the Horsham constituency, where he stood as the Labour Party candidate. He switched to the Conservative Party in 2006.

In a radio programme in January 2012, Rehman Chishti clashed with host George Galloway about Shadow Minister Diane Abbott's controversial claim on Twitter that White people love playing 'divide and rule'.

Arguing that Abbott's statement was racist, Chishti insisted that it would have been treated differently if you had someone from the English community making that remark, a reply, which the interviewer implied that the London-born Abbott, being black, could not be English.

Rehamn cares passionately about the community where he grew up. He has completed several half-marathons raising money for local good causes and charities.