New baroness Ayesha Hazarika praises Coatbridge home town on taking her seat in House of Lords

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A political adviser and broadcaster who grew up in Coatbridge has been appointed to the House of Lords – and has chosen the name of her home town for her new title.Ayesha Hazarika has worked in politics and for the Labour party for more than 25 years, including serving as a special adviser to Harriet Harman and working alongside party leaders Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Ed Miliband, before becoming a consultant and broadcaster, including presenting her own shows on LBC and Times Radio.Now she has been ennobled at Westminster as Baroness Hazarika of Coatbridge, becoming the first person of Indian Assamese heritage to enter the House of Lords and paid tribute to her home town and parents in her maiden speech, hastily arranged to take place before the snap election and dissolution of parliament.The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now.

Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you.Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android She was accompanied to her formal ceremony of introduction at the House of Lords by her parents and wider family, and spoke of the “overwhelming” experience of taking her historic place on the famous red benches for the first time.Having donned the ermine robes of office, she was introduced in the chamber by Baroness Helena Kennedy and Lord Alf Dubs and swore her oath on the Quran and later told in her maiden speech how “it is a great privilege and honour to be able to serve