Assembly Member Bokhari takes over the position from Caroline Pidgeon who led the Liberal Democrats on the London Assembly from 2010 until May 2024 when she stood down from the Assembly.
Assembly Member Bokhari said she was “privileged” to take up the post, and paid tribute to her predecessor’s leadership, crediting her with having led the Group “tirelessly” for 14 years and being “one of the greatest if not the greatest scrutineer” the London Assembly has seen.
Assembly Member Bokhari was one of the first Muslim women elected to the Assembly in 2021. She has a professional background in teaching and taught for 20 years in some of London’s most deprived areas and founded two charities to help young people. On the Assembly she has previously led for the Liberal Democrats on the economy, environment and fire safety.
The London Assembly is a 25 Member strong body elected the same time as the Mayor of London to scrutinises the activities and spending of the Mayor and to carry out investigations and make representations based on the voice of Londoners.
Commenting Hina Bokhari AM said:
“It is a privilege to lead the Liberal Democrat Group on the London Assembly and to be the first ethnic minority woman to lead a group on the Assembly.
“I want to pay tribute to my predecessor Caroline Pidgeon who led the Lib Dem Group tirelessly for the last 14 years and who was widely regarded as one of, if not the best scrutineers the Assembly has seen since its establishment.
“I passionately believe that at its heart, London is a liberal city with liberal values and one that thrives on its great diversity.
“It is with these values I intend to hold the Mayor of London to account on the promises he made during the election to ensure that London continues to thrive as a welcoming global city that is safe and accessible and that the challenges currently facing many Londoners are addressed.
“To all the women of all backgrounds across London, I hope I can offer some hope that barriers are being broken and politics is becoming more representative of the society we live in.”
