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Lurline Champagnie OBE, (born 1935/1936 in Jamaica),[1] is a British politician who became the first black woman to stand as a parliamentary candidate for the Conservative Party in the 1992 general election, losing to future Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn. She was a Mayor in the London Borough of Harrow, and a councillor for the Pinner ward, being the first black person to hold these positions.[2]
Born in Jamaica, Champagnie emigrated to Britain in 1956.[2][3] She was first employed in London as a punch operator.[4] She trained as a nurse at Mount Vernon Hospital,[2][3][5] including time in the burns and plastic surgery unit.[2] After travelling to the US on a scholarship in 1964, she became aware of the possible supports available for women after mastectomies.[5] She worked for a prosthesis supplier, and then ran her own business catering for post-mastectomy patients.[5]
She began her political career at the 1982 Tory party conference declaring: "I am Conservative, black and British, and I'm proud of all three",[2][3][4][6][7] for which she received a standing ovation.[3][4][6][7] At the 1984 Tory party conference, Champagnie was caught up in the Brighton bombing, and as a trained nurse, was able to administer help to the victims.[2]
In 1986, she was elected as a councillor for the ward of Pinner, thus becoming the first black councillor in the London Borough of Harrow.[4] She represented Pinner until 2010.[2] In 1992, when Champagnie stood for election to Parliament in Islington North, she became the first black woman to stand as a parliamentary candidate for the Conservatives.[3][8][9][10] In 2004, Champagnie became the first black Mayor of Harrow,[2] and in 2005 was runner-up in Britain's "Mayor of the Year Award".[11]
In 2008, Champagnie became part of the Government Equalities Office cross-party task force in aid of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) women.[11][1]
In December 2009, Champagnie was appointed an OBE in the Queen's 2010 New Year Honours list.[2][1]
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