Rokhsana Fiaz (born December 1971) is a Labour Party politician serving as Mayor of Newham. Fiaz was elected as a Councillor for the Newham ward of Custom House in 2014. Ahead of the 2018 Mayoral election, following protracted disagreements within the local party, the incumbent Labour Mayor of Newham (and the first directly elected Mayor of Newham) Sir Robin Wales was not automatically re-selected as the Labour Party's candidate. In the open selection that followed, Fiaz defeated Wales for the Labour nomination by 861 votes to 503. Fiaz was subsequently elected Mayor in May 2018, receiving 73.4% of the first preference votes (53,214 votes). She is the first directly elected female mayor for any London borough. Fiaz promised to hold a referendum on the direct elected mayoral system and this took place in May 2021. Voters decided by 56% to 44% to retain the system. In the local elections of May 2022 Rokhsana Fiaz was returned as mayor for second term, securing 35,696 votes (56.2%).

Personal life

Fiaz was born in Mile End Hospital to parents who had moved to London from

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

in the 1960s. In 2009 she was awarded an

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

for services for race, faith and charity.

References

21st-century British politicians British politicians of Pakistani descent English people of Pakistani descent Labour Party (UK) mayors Living people Mayors of places in Greater London Officers of the Order of the British Empire People from Mile End Councillors in the London Borough of Newham 1971 births Women councillors in England Women mayors of places in England {{UK-politician-stub