Hina Bokhari

Hina Bokhari (born 1975) is a British Liberal Democrat politician who has been a Member of the London Assembly since May 2021. She became the joint first Muslim woman elected to the Assembly, along with Sakina Sheikh and Marina Ahmad.^[1] She previously worked as a teacher and as a councillor in Merton.

Early life[]

Bokhari was born in Enfield. She is the daughter of Naz Bokhari and older sister of Harris Bokhari.^[1][2] Her Punjabi-born father was the first British Muslim to run a secondary school in the UK; he was headteacher of Ernest Bevin College and was awarded an OBE for services to education in the 2001 Birthday Honours. London Mayor Sadiq Khan was one of his students.^[3][4]

Career[]

Prior to becoming politically active, she taught for 20 years in London schools and founded two young person focused charities.^[5]

Politics[]

Bokhari joined the Liberal Democrats in 2017, standing for election to Merton Council in 2018 and winning, becoming the first Muslim woman elected in Merton.^[5]

Bokhari was the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Sutton and Cheam Constituency in the 2019 general election where she finished second to the Conservative party incumbent Paul Scully, decreasing his majority.

On 6 May 2021, Bokhari was elected a Member of the London Assembly, having been second on the Liberal Democrat's London-wide list.^[6] Her gain was the first seat the Liberal Democrats had gained in the London Assembly since 2004.

References[]