IN this month's European elections, Nelson-based solicitor Sajjad Karim became the North West's first Muslim MEP.

In his first in-depth interview, he has spoken to reporter ANDREW HEWITT about how he hopes his success will inspire others from ethnic minority backgrounds to move into politics.

WHILE most five-year-olds would spend their spare time riding their bike or having a kick about with friends, the youthful Sajjad Karim was already setting out on his political career.

Sajjad, who grew up in Brierfield as one of six children, would help deliver leaflets for former Tory MP John Lee.

And that experience, as well as the influence of his father who was a member of Brierfield Parish Council, had him hooked at an early age.

After studying for a law degree at City University, in London, the former Mansfield High School pupil returned to East Lancashire as a keen Liberal Democrat.

The 33-year-old, who now lives in Great Harwood with his wife Zahida, and children Bilal, four, and one-year-old Rabia was soon a chairman of the Brierfield and Reedley Committee before retiring from Pendle Council in May 2002 to set up Marsden's Solicitors, in Manchester Road.

The solicitor not only became the Lib Dems first non-white MEP but also polled a healthy 335,063 votes for his party.

Sajjad said he was delighted with his success and said he hoped to bring a different approach to thinking as he did when on Pendle Council.

He said: "I am delighted obviously and it is a really big achievement for somebody from my background and this area.

"As the youngest I thought it was brilliant been involved in local affairs and helping to make decision. I think more young people should be involved in politics.

"I want to take that into Europe. I don't see it as being radical but as a fresh way into looking at things."

Sajjad, whose parents moved from the Gujarat region of Pakistan in the 1960s, was born in Blackburn. He recalled when he used to visit his grandfather as a child in Pakistan, who advised him to play as full a part as possible in the community.

He added: "I want to be first and foremost a strong voice for the people of the North West and in particularly I want to help in the regeneration of East Lancashire.

"Also there is a very big responsibility for me to act as a voice for the Muslim people in Europe.

"The current parliamentary make-up does not reflect the diversity of the North West and I think this is a step in the right direction.

"There is a problem with people recognising the powers and strengths of Europe. About three-quarters of the laws come from Brussels and it is a very important parliament.

"I would like to bring the relevance of the EU and show it to the people of rundown areas like Danehouse.

"I hope the people from these areas see my election and see they too can play an active role in British society."

Sajjad, who does not rule out standing for a seat in Westminster one day, said he currently prefers to be a MEP rather then a backbencher as he believes the role carries more powers.

He said people should think of society as a large community and said background should not important, it is what we put into the community that is.

The solicitor said his ambitions will take time to achieve but he hopes to lay the foundations for success.

He added: "It is an on-going process and is something that will take a long time to develop. Over the next five years I hope to affect policy decisions and start to make a difference to the North West and start to lay some very strong building blocks for the future."