Natasha Asghar

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Natasha Asghar
MS
Natasha Asghar in 2021
Member of the Senedd
for South Wales East
Assumed office
8 May 2021
Personal details
BornNewport, Wales
NationalityBritish
Political partyWelsh Conservatives
Other political
affiliations		Plaid Cymru (until 2009)

Natasha Asghar is a Welsh Conservative Party politician who represents South Wales East in the Senedd since the 2021 Senedd election. Her father Mohammad Asghar represented the same constituency until his death in 2020.[1] She is the first female ethnic minority member of the Senedd.[2] She was named as one of the BBC's 100 Women in 2021.[3] She stood for the Conservative Party's nomination for Mayor of London in the 2024 mayoral election,[4] but was not shortlisted.

Political career[edit]

Asghar was named the Welsh Conservative’s Shadow Minister for Transport and Technology and worked to see the creation an All Wales Travel Card similar to the Oyster card in London.[5]

Asghar stood as a Plaid Cymru candidate in the 2007 National Assembly for Wales election in Blaenau Gwent[6] and for the Wales seat in the 2009 European elections before joining the Conservative party on 8 December 2009 at the same time as her father who resigned from Plaid Cymru after the party barred him from hiring his daughter.[7][8] She unsuccessfully contested Torfaen at the 2011 National Assembly for Wales election for the Conservative Party.[9]

Asghar has been unsuccessful in her candidacy for the House of Commons seat of Newport East in 2015 and 2017.[10]

In May 2021, Asghar was highlighted as one of British Vogue's "5 Forces For Change".[11] Since being elected she has done interviews for the BBC, ITV, the South Wales Argus, The National, the Caerphilly Observer, the Welsh magazine Golwg and appeared on Sharp End.[12]

She was named as one of the BBC's 100 Women in December 2021.[3]

On 22 May 2023, Asghar announced that she would be standing for the Conservative Party's nomination for Mayor of London ahead of the 2024 London mayoral election.[4] She announced her decision via a video on Twitter. She had previously been a London resident for 20 years before moving to Wales.[13] On 12 May it was announced that her bid to become a potential candidate for the London mayoralty had failed when her name did not appear on the party's shortlist of three.[14]

Personal life[edit]

She is the daughter of the late Conservative assembly member Mohammad Asghar. She is of Pakistani descent.[15]

Education[edit]

Asghar holds a BA in Politics and Social Policy and a Masters in Contemporary British Policy and Media from the University of London.[12]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Natasha Asghar to stand for Welsh Conservatives in Senedd Elections". Caerphilly Observer. 20 January 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  2. ^ "Natasha Asghar becomes first female Senedd member from a BAME background". ITV News. 8 May 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  3. ^ a b "BBC 100 Women 2021: Who is on the list this year?". BBC News. 7 December 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  4. ^ a b @nasghar (22 May 2023). "🚨 I've applied to become the @Conservatives Mayor of #London candidate. 🥀 For 2 years I have been fighting against Labour's policies in Wales - and now it's time to take the fight to London. 👇 It's time for change and I know I can be the breath of fresh air Londoners need" (Tweet). Retrieved 22 May 2023 – via Twitter.
  5. ^ "Asghar welcomes positive response to her calls for an All-Wales Travel Card". Natasha Asghar MS. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  6. ^ Young Candidates, Plaid Cymru
  7. ^ "The Conservative Party | People | Welsh Assembly Members | Mohammad Asghar AM". Archived from the original on 20 October 2011.
  8. ^ Shipton, Martin (26 January 2010). "Daughter of AM who left Plaid to join the Tories is now on his staff". Wales Online. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  9. ^ "BBC News - Election 2011 - Wales - Torfaen". BBC News. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  10. ^ "Natasha Asghar - Candidate for South Wales East in Senedd Cymru elections (Regions)". Democracy Club Candidates. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  11. ^ Mukhtar, Amel (30 May 2021). "5 Forces For Change That Made Waves In May". British Vogue. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  12. ^ a b "About Natasha Asghar/Mwy am Natasha Asghar". Natasha Asghar MS. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  13. ^ "Prominent Welsh Tory announces bid to become the Mayor of London". South Wales Argus. 22 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  14. ^ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-65878047
  15. ^ "Natasha Asghar to stand for Welsh Conservatives in Senedd Elections". Caerphilly Observer. 20 January 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
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