Zerbanoo Gifford - Politics

Politics

Zerbanoo made political history in 1982 when she was elected in Harrow, Middlesex, as the first non-white woman councillor for the Liberal Party. She went on to become the first Asian woman to stand for parliament (Hertsmere 1983 against Cecil Parkinson, gaining 13,758 votes (25.5%) the highest recorded vote of a non-white at the time and doubling the result from the previous election) despite facing racism and threats from the British National Party. Her experience was the catalyst for the national press, politicians and the police to look at the whole issue of racial violence in Britain. Not being elected to parliament didn't mean the end of her involvement in politics. She was elected to the Federal Executive of the Liberal Party, the first non-white to be elected to a governing body of a major UK Political Party. Zerbanoo is seen as a pioneer for the Asian community in national politics. She chaired the commission ‘Looking into Ethnic Minority Involvement in British Life’ and was a member of the advisory group on race relations to the then British Home Secretary, Jack Straw. Speaking in Trafalgar Square with Neil Kinnock in the early 80's, calling for Mandatory Sanctions and the release of Nelson Mandela. She was chosen to present a petition to Number 10 Downing St with Bishop Trevor Huddleston.