A political adviser and broadcaster who grew up in Coatbridge has been appointed to the House of Lords – and has chosen the name of her home town for her new title.
Ayesha Hazarika has worked in politics and for the Labour party for more than 25 years, including serving as a special adviser to Harriet Harman and working alongside party leaders Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Ed Miliband, before becoming a consultant and broadcaster, including presenting her own shows on LBC and Times Radio.
Having donned the ermine robes of office, she was introduced in the chamber by Baroness Helena Kennedy and Lord Alf Dubs and swore her oath on the Quran and later told in her maiden speech how “it is a great privilege and honour to be able to serve my country in parliament”. “My sponsors are two people I really look up to who do amazing work and really embody public service. I feel incredibly lucky and privileged and will work hard to live up to those standards.
She talks fondly of her warm memories of growing up in the town, from local music lessons to much-loved neighbours – and even shared her recollections of a work experience placement at the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser including interviewing Monklands provost Edward Cairns at the Municipal Buildings and planned development at the Quadrant shopping centre.
“Dad came to be a doctor in the NHS; he and his best friend had both been in The Wirral but then his friend got a job in Airdrie so he came to Coatbridge as he wanted to be near friends. He didn’t know anything about Coatbridge but people welcomed them so warmly – even now people will ask me, ‘was your dad the doctor?’
She spent years working in the Labour government as an adviser for Harriet Harman, helping to draft the 2010 equality act and helping party leaders to prepare for their weekly Prime Minister’s Questions sessions – and even had a unique second career with a foray into stand-up comedy.
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