Our Bureau
London
Ayesha Hazarika becomes 1st British-Indian of Assamese Origin to be appointed to the House of Lords, the upper chamber of the British Parliament. Taking her seat as ‘Baroness Hazarika of Coatbridge’, with a grant of a life peerage, she brings a wealth of experience from her background as a Scottish political aide and pundit.
Baroness Hazarika, a former stand-up comic, donned the traditional scarlet robes for her introduction ceremony, where she was supported by fellow Labor peers Lord Dubs and Baroness Kennedy of the Shaws.
Joining her in this elevation to the House of Lords is Ruth Porter, former deputy chief of staff to Liz Truss, despite her boss’s brief tenure as Prime Minister.
Taking to her official X handle, Ayesha expresses happiness stating, “Thank you for all your lovely messages. What an incredible, special day spent with family & friends. Especially my amazing parents who came here as Indian Muslim immigrants & worked so very hard. It is genuinely the honor of my life to join the House of Lords as a Labor peer.”
Ayesha Hazarika, originally from Bellshill and raised in Coatbridge, now adds her voice to the legislative process. She is a Scottish broadcaster, journalist and political commentator, and former political adviser to senior Labor Party politicians. Hazarika was born in Bellshill, Scotland, to parents of Indian Assamese Muslim descent, and was raised in Coatbridge. She was educated at Laurel Bank, an all-girls school in Glasgow, and studied law at the University of Hull. Hazarika planned to become a solicitor before training as a journalist.
