Son of Kurdish refugees launches bid to become MPIbrahim Dogus speaking at the 2016 British Kebab Awards. (Photo: T-Vine)

LONDON, United Kingdom (Kurdistan24) – A Kurdish businessman has launched a bid to stand as a London Member of Parliament in the upcoming British elections.

Ibrahim Dogus, the owner of Troia restaurant, was recently in the news for opening his restaurant by Westminster Bridge to emergency services on the day of last month’s terror attack near the British Parliament.

He fed hundreds of police, ambulance, and fire brigade workers for free, keeping his business open in support of those working to keep Londoners safe for which he received much praise. 

Dogus, an active community leader in the Turkish and Kurdish communities in London and the UK, is the founder of the Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) and director for the Center for Kurdish Progress.

The businessman applied to stand as a Labour MP in one of four seats in the Greater London area stating he wanted to give something back to his country. 

Dogus is the son of Kurdish refugees from Turkey who arrived in the UK in 1994.

He founded the first UK-based newspaper in Turkish and Kurdish called Telgraf and is a regular commentator on Turkish, Kurdish, and UK politics.

In 2016, Dogus praised the Peshmerga in Iraq for their bravery in fighting the Islamic State (IS) despite challenges such as the lack of weapons and resources.

He also lauded Kurds for their treatment of non-Kurdish citizens, describing them as “the only progressive force in the region.”

Dogus described 2017 as “the year of hope for the world’s Kurds,” calling on intra-Kurdish conflicts to come to an end.

His comments were regarding the recent clashes in Sinjar between the Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) trained Sinjar Resistance Units (YBS). 

As well as having several successful restaurants in London, Dogus runs the annual Kebab Awards which regularly attracts politicians and celebrities including Jeremy Corbyn.

He also has his brand of beer, Bira, marketed as the world’s first beer for kebabs.

The elections will take place on June 8.

Reporting by G. H. Renaud

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany