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Maryam Eslamdoust

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Maryam Eslamdoust
مریم اسلام دوست
Born
Tehran, Iran
Alma materSchool of Oriental and African Studies, University College London
OrganizationTransport Salaried Staffs' Association
TitleGeneral Secretary
Political partyLabour
SpouseThomas Gardiner
Children1

Maryam Eslamdoust (Persian: مریم اسلام دوست) is a British-Iranian politician and trade union official. She was mayor of the London Borough of Camden from 2019 to 2021, and in 2023 was elected General Secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association. Eslamdoust was the first Iranian-born woman to be elected to public office in Great Britain.

Biography

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Eslamdoust was born in Tehran, Iran. As a child she moved with her family to the Kilburn area of London. She was educated at the School of Oriental and African Studies and University College London. Eslamdoust has worked in the legal and charity sectors, and as a researcher for the United Kingdom Labour Party.[1][2][3][4]

From 2010 Eslamdoust served as an elected Labour Party councillor on the Camden London Borough Council for the ward of Kilburn. She focused her duties on overseeing stronger regulation on noise pollution, gambling premises, and strip clubs.[1][2][5] The latter issue resulted in a lengthy court battle between the council and Spearmint Rhino, due to a casting council vote made in her favour by Eslamdoust's husband, Thomas Gardiner, which was resolved in 2014 when the judge upheld the council decision.[6] Eslamdoust went on to be declared Deputy Mayor of Camden in 2018.[2]

In 2019 Eslamdoust was elected as Mayor for the London Borough of Camden, and was the first woman born in Iran to serve in public office in Great Britain. She attracted criticism due to the circa £11,000 cost of her inauguration ceremony. Eslamdoust served for 2 years in the role, raising money for domestic abuse charity Solace Women's Aid.[3][7][8][9]

In 2023 Eslamdoust succeeded Manuel Cortes to become General Secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA), a trade union focused on transport and travel in the United Kingdom and Ireland, being elected with 47% of the vote.[10] Cortes had previously left the TSSA pending an investigation into harassment.[11] It was reported that Eslamdoust was both the first woman, and the first person of colour, to be leader of the union through its 126-year history.[12][13] While representing the TSSA she has advocated for the keeping open of ticket offices in rail stations, a goal which is partly personal to achieve continued independent living for her blind and autistic brother.[14][15]

Eslamdoust has been reported as being politically aligned with Jeremy Corbyn, to the left wing of the UK Labour Party. In 2023 she was critical of the Labour leader Keir Starmer, particularly concerning his reluctance to call for a ceasefire on the 2023 Israel–Hamas war.[15][16]

Personal life

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Eslamdoust met her husband, Thomas Gardiner, while studying at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.[1] Gardiner similarly served as a Labour councillor for the Kilburn ward from 2010. Eslamdoust's son Xerxes was born in 2019, during her tenure as Mayor of Camden.[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "The Mayor Cllr Maryam Eslamdoust Mayor 2019-2021". Camden London Borough Council. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Deputy Mayor Cllr Maryam Eslamdoust Deputy Mayor 2018-2019". Camden London Borough Council. Archived from the original on 21 October 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  3. ^ a b Osley, Richard (4 July 2019). "Mayor of Camden: 'I'm being bullied by Labour councillors'". Islington Tribune. Archived from the original on 21 October 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  4. ^ "The Londoner: Labour is run by 'familial clique'". Evening Standard. 14 May 2019. Archived from the original on 27 June 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  5. ^ Dubuis, Anna (13 March 2014). "Blitz on buskers wrecks Camden's reputation for music, warns comedian Bill Bailey". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 16 February 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  6. ^ McSmith, Andy (13 January 2014). "Bride and prejudice". The Independent. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  7. ^ Taylor, Harry (16 May 2019). "Maryam Eslamdoust reflects on perception of Iran as she is confirmed as new mayor of Camden". Ham & High. Archived from the original on 21 October 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  8. ^ Sheridan, Ed (16 May 2019). "Maryam Eslamdoust elected as country's first female Iranian Mayor". Camden Citizen. Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  9. ^ "Plenty for a few". Evening Standard. 25 June 2019. Archived from the original on 17 June 2020. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  10. ^ "TSSA welcomes their new General Secretary Maryam Eslamdoust". TSSA. 10 October 2023. Archived from the original on 21 October 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Trade Union Leader Dismissed Following Report Into Sexual Harassment". Novara Media. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  12. ^ "Transport union elects its first female general secretary". The Independent. 10 October 2023. Archived from the original on 16 October 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  13. ^ Jones, Alan (10 October 2023). "Transport union elects its first female general secretary". Yahoo News. Archived from the original on 21 October 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  14. ^ "Rail union steps up campaign to keep ticket offices open". Oxford Mail. PA News. 18 October 2023. Archived from the original on 21 October 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  15. ^ a b Rodgers, Sienna (22 November 2022). "'A fresh start': TSSA's new general secretary Maryam Eslamdoust". Politics Home. Archived from the original on 1 December 2023. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  16. ^ Crewe, Tom (11 August 2016). "We Are Many: Tom Crewe goes among the Corbyn supporters". London Review of Books. Vol. 38, no. 16. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  17. ^ Osley, Richard (13 June 2019). "Mayor of Camden gets a new escort as she gives birth to baby boy". Camden New Journal. Archived from the original on 13 June 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
Trade union offices
Preceded by General Secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association
2023–present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
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