An independent candidate standing to be Slough’s next MP has denied accusations that he is trying to ‘toxify’ Slough by asking Muslims to vote in a block.

Labour MP Tan Dhesi appealed on Saturday for people in Slough not to be ‘duped’ by people ‘going to people’s houses and asking one faith community in particular to vote in a block.’

He highlighted the campaign by independent candidate Azhar Chohan who has been endorsed by a group called Muslim Vote.

He said: “Please don’t be duped by those trying to toxify the town and divide our MultiFaith diverse community.”

READ MORE: Slough MP Tan Dhesi warns against 'toxic' community politics

But Mr Chohan said he is not ‘trying to divide anyone’ and that his campaign is supported by people of all backgrounds, including Sikhs and Christians.

He told the Observer: “I’m not trying to divide anyone. All the issues I talk about don’t only affect Muslims. They affect anyone – my faith is humanity.”

In a statement on Saturday Slough MP Tan Dhesi highlighted a social media post by Muslim Vote encouraging a vote for Mr Chohan. The group encourages votes for candidates who have supported Palestinians and backed a ceasefire in the war in Gaza.

Mr Chohan had previously worked as a caseworker for Slough’s Labour MPs including Mr Dhesi.

But he says he quit in November last year when Mr Dhesi abstained on a vote calling for a ceasefire in parliament.

Mr Chohan defended the right of Muslims to vote on issues that matter to them. But he argued that the issue of Palestine mattered to more people than Muslims.

And he said he also wanted to speak up on other major issues he says affect Slough such as housing, knife crime and the NHS.

He said as many as 400 people attended his campaign launch meeting on Sunday May 26, making him ‘the only person who can challenge’ Mr Dhesi.

In response, Mr Dhesi pointed out that Mr Chohan had spent several years as a member of the Labour Party that he now criticises. And in his statement on Saturday he said he had spoken up for Muslims and against Islamophobia in parliament.

READ MORE: Independent candidate names ‘genocide in Gaza’ in campaign

He said: “I was overwhelmed by the love shown by the Slough Muslim community in 2017, when they ignored the unscrupulous tactics and leaflets being distributed against me outside mosques about only being pro-Sikh, and elected me with a record-breaking margin.

“I assured them then that they would be represented like never before, and I’d be a strong voice for them, for human rights and peace, and against Islamophobia; which I duly did, including taking to task Boris Johnson for his “letterboxes and bank robbers” racist remarks dehumanising Muslim women.”

Mr Chohan will compete with another candidate hoping to challenge the main parties, Adnan Shabbir of the Workers Party of Britain, whose candidates also emphasise support for Palestine. Mr Shabbir has been contacted for comment.

Liberal Democrat candidate Chelsea Whyte says her party is the only one ‘that has been campaigning for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza since Oct 2023.’