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Janani (Jan) Jananayagam (Tamil: ஜனனி (ஜான்) ஜனநாயகம்) is a British Tamil banking professional, activist and politician. She was an independent candidate for the London region in the 2009 European Parliamentary elections.

Early life

Jan was born in Jaffna, Sri Lanka but spent most of her youth in Nigeria and Zambia where her parents were teachers. Later she and her parents emigrated to the United Kingdom. She studied at the University of Manchester and graduated with distinction in computing and information systems. She later received a master's degree in applied mathematics from Imperial College London and a Master of Business Administration from INSEAD business school.

Professional career

After a period in computing research and development Jan moved into the banking industry. She currently works in the London and German offices of a leading Italian bank as a project manager. She is involved in the setting up of e-commerce ventures. Jananayagam has written columns in the Tamil Guardian that focused on Sri Lanka's treatment of Tamils.

European Parliament candidate

Jan stood as an independent candidate for the London region in the 2009 European Parliamentary elections. She did not win a seat, but garnered 2.86% of the vote. The main policies on which she campaigned on were:

• Civil rights and individual freedom
• Financial transparency and effective regulation
• Equality and diversity
• Small businesses and entrepreneurship
• Ethical foreign policy
• Animal welfare

She campaigned against the British National Party.

She had been endorsed by the Oscar-nominated musician Maya Arulpragasam (MIA). MIA started an online campaign in support of Jan and offered a free song.

Despite winning many votes for an Independent, she did not win a seat against competitive parties. Jan came 8th out of the 19 parties/independents contesting London after receiving 50,014 votes (2.86%). This was more than the combined vote for all other independent candidates across the whole of the UK. Her £5000 deposit was returned, as she got more than the 2.5% threshold in the vote.

Votes received by Jan for each London borough:

References

1. ^ "MIA's endorsement expected to boost Jananayagam's MEP prospects". TamilNet. 3 June 2009. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
2. "Official list and contact details" (PDF). UK Office of the European Parliament. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
3. "Candidates". UK Office of the European Parliament. Archived from the original on 10 May 2009. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
4. "British Tamil contests seat for European Parliament". TamilNet. 15 May 2009. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
5. "Potent Tamil voice for European Parliament". TamilNet. 31 May 2009. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
6. "INSEAD hails TAG co-founder Jananayagam | Tamil Guardian".
7. "Tamil campaigner Euro vote boost". BBC. 9 June 2009. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
8. ^ "Independents in European Elections | Independent Network". Archived from the original on 26 January 2012. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
9. "Policies". Vote4Kan. Archived from the original on 8 June 2009. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
10. "Election Manifesto" (PDF). TamilNet. 31 May 2009. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
11. "European Election 2009: London". BBC News. 8 June 2009. Retrieved 8 June 2009.
12. "European Election 2009: UK Results". BBC News. 8 June 2009. Retrieved 8 June 2009.
13. "European Parliamentary Election Results". London Borough of Barking & Dagenham. Archived from the original on 11 April 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
14. "Hammersmith & Fulham declaration" (PDF). London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 June 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
15. "Lewisham Council – Documents – European Parliamentary Election 4 June 2009". London Borough of Lewisham. Archived from the original on 23 May 2009. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
16. "Barnet declaration" (PDF). London Borough of Barnet. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 June 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
17. "European Parliamentary Election results 2009". Newham Council. Archived from the original on 12 June 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
18. "Bexley declaration" (PDF). London Borough of Bexley. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 June 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
19. "European Parliamentary Election – Thursday 4th June 2009". Harrow Council. 4 June 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
20. "European Election results". Redbridge i. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
21. "Election results for Brent". Brent Council. Archived from the original on 12 June 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
22. "Euro Election Results". Havering Council. Archived from the original on 8 June 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
23. "Richmond upon Thames declaration" (PDF). London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
24. "European Parliamentary Election 4 June 2009 – result of poll for the local counting area of Bromley". London Borough of Bromley. Archived from the original on 15 April 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
25. "Hillingdon declaration" (PDF). London Borough of Hillingdon. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 June 2011. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
26. "Southwark declaration" (PDF). London Borough of Southwark. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
27. "European Parliamentary election results". Camden Council. Archived from the original on 5 September 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
28. "Hounslow declaration" (PDF). London Borough of Hounslow. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
29. "Election and other news". London Borough of Sutton. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
30. "Croydon declaration" (PDF). Croydon Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 June 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
31. "European Parliamentary Election 2009". Islington Council. Archived from the original on 3 June 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
32. "Results of the European Parliament Election for Tower Hamlets on June 4 2009". Tower Hamlets Council. Archived from the original on 11 June 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
33. "European Elections 2009". Ealing Council. Archived from the original on 10 June 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
34. "European Parliamentary Elections on 4 June 2009". Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea. Archived from the original on 13 June 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
35. "European election results". Waltham Forest Council. Archived from the original on 30 May 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
36. "Enfield declaration" (PDF). Enfield Council. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
37. "European Parliamentary Election 2009 – Results". Royal Kingston. Archived from the original on 12 June 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
38. "Wandsworth declaration" (PDF). Wandsworth Borough Council. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
39. "Greenwich declaration" (PDF). Greenwich Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 June 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
40. "Lambeth declaration" (PDF). Lambeth Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 June 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
41. "Westminster declaration". Westminster City Council. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
42. "Merton declaration" (PDF). Merton Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 October 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
43. "City of London declaration". Westminster City Council. Retrieved 9 June 2009.

External links

• "Profile". Vote4Jan. Archived from the original on 8 June 2009. Retrieved 4 June 2009.*

• Living people
• British human rights activists
• Women human rights activists
• British people of Sri Lankan Tamil descent
• Sri Lankan emigrants to the United Kingdom
• People from Jaffna
• INSEAD alumni
• British Hindus