Natasha Asghar
Welsh politician From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Welsh politician From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Natasha Asghar is a Welsh Conservative Party politician has served as Member of the Senedd for the South Wales East region and Shadow Minister for Transport since 2021. Her father Mohammad Asghar represented the same constituency until his death in 2020.[2] She is the first female ethnic minority member of the Senedd. She stood for the Conservative Party's nomination for Mayor of London in the 2024 mayoral election, but was not shortlisted.
Natasha Asghar | |
|---|---|
Natasha Asghar in 2021 | |
| Shadow Minister for Transport | |
| Assumed office 27 May 2021 | |
| Leader | Andrew RT Davies |
| Preceded by | Russell George |
| Member of the Senedd for South Wales East | |
| Assumed office 8 May 2021 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 1983 [1] Newport, Wales |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Welsh Conservatives |
| Other political affiliations | Plaid Cymru (until 2009) |
Asghar stood as a Plaid Cymru candidate in the 2007 National Assembly for Wales election in Blaenau Gwent[3] and for the Wales seat in the 2009 European elections.[4]
She joined Conservative party on 8 December 2009 at the same time as her father, Mohammad Asghar.[5][6] She said “For me, family is everything. I believe in my father. Wherever he goes I will follow.’’[7] At the time of Mohammad Asghar's defection, it was alleged that he left in part due to the party barring him from hiring her.[8][9][better source needed] She was hired as a member of his support staff in the Senedd in 2010.[9]
She unsuccessfully contested Torfaen at the 2011 National Assembly for Wales election for Plaid Cymru,[10] and Newport East at the 2015 and 2017 UK Parliament elections for the Conservative Party.[11]
She was elected to the Senedd at the 2021 Senedd election to represent South Wales East. She became the first female ethnic minority candidate to be elected as an MS.[12] Shortly after she was appointed Shadow Minister for Transport.[13]
As Shadow Transport Minister, she supported the creation of an All Wales Travel Card similar to the Oyster card in London.[14] She also led the Welsh Conservative's approach to criticising the reduction of 30mph speed limit zones to 20 miles per hour.[15] In May 2024, it was announced Asghar was under review by the Senedd Standards Commissioner for her description of the 20mph limit as "blanket".[16]
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.[17] She announced her decision via a video on Twitter. She had previously been a London resident for 20 years before moving to Wales.[18] 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.[19]
She is the daughter of the late Conservative assembly member Mohammad Asghar. She is of Pakistani descent.[20] Asghar was privately educated at Rougemont School in Newport, she went on to hold a BA in Politics and Social Policy and a Masters in Contemporary British Policy and Media from the University of London.[21][22]
In May 2021, Asghar was highlighted as one of British Vogue's "5 Forces For Change".[23] She was named as one of the BBC's 100 Women in December 2021.[24]
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