The MP was cleared last month of housing fraud. Finally able to speak about her ordeal, she opens up about her controlling ex-husband, the family that disowned her and her political future
When Apsana Begum found out she had been acquitted of housing fraud by a jury at Snaresbrook crown court, she fell to her knees and wept.
“It was such an emotional moment,” says the 31-year-old Labour MP for Poplar and Limehouse. “For at least 18 months, I have just tried to hold it all together.” We are meeting at a cafe in her constituency, chosen for its tucked-away location – if Begum is spotted on one of the busier streets, she will be accosted constantly by well-wishers. “It’s where I grew up,” she explains.
