'Towerblock' Tatler elevated to the heights on Starmer's recommendation and is joined by ex-Brent MP Sarah Teather

 

Cllr Shama Tatler becomes a Life Peer, a baroness in the Political Peerages announced today and will take a seat in the House of Lords. Known for her fondness for tower blocks that have changed the face of Brent, she cares little for the fact that most Brent residents cannot afford them, as long as they pile up the numbers to meet targets.

Cllr Tatler is also a main force behind the 'Labour YIMBY's' (Yes, in my backyard) as well, allegedly, a prime mover in the recent deselection of many Labour councillors through her role in the upper echelons of the London Labour Party. The deselected councillors' support for Palestine was allegedly frowned upon by Tatler. 

On the national political stage she rushed to replace  Labour Candidate Faiza Shaheen when she was sacked as a General Election candidate by Keir Starmer. Tatler lost to the Tories.

 

 

Keir Starmer, who made the recommendation is clearly impressed by her. 

Above is my personal view, below is the official citation:

Cllr. Shama Tatler - Brent Councillor and Vice-Chair of the London Labour Regional Executive, Patron of the Labour Housing Group and Head of the Labour Group Office at the Local Government Association. 

Shama Tatler was first elected to Brent Council in 2014 representing Fryent ward, and re-elected in 2018, she now serves the residents of Kingsbury ward. Shama was appointed as Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Planning in Brent in December 2016. Under her leadership, thousands of new homes have
been delivered alongside progressive planning policies. 

Shama currently serves as Vice-Chair of the London Labour Regional Executive, Vice-Chair of Labour Indians, and Patron of the Labour Housing Group. She is a graduate and mentor of the Fabian Women’s Network mentoring scheme. Shama was also a Labour Party Parliamentary candidate in 2024. Shama began her career as a secondary school History and Humanities teacher and she is a life member of the Children’s Cultural Organisation, Shishukunj. She now works as the Head of the Labour Group Office at the Local Government Association (LGA), supporting Labour councillors and councils.

 

Also nominated for a peerage is Sarah Teather, former MP for Brent East, who won the  seat when Labour voters revolted over Labour support for Blair's Iraq War. Her recorded was tarnished over her support for Coalition policy to impose student fees after she had spoken against them in the Commons. On 6 January 2006, 25 Liberal Democrat MPs signed a letter drafted by Teather and fellow frontbencher Ed Davey, indicating their unwillingness to continue working under party leader Charles Kennedy opposing the Tory-Lib Dem welfare reform. She went on to work with refugees.

Lib Dem leader Ed Davey nominated her for the peerage.

The official citation:

 Sarah Teather - Charity leader, former MP for Brent East and Brent Central and former Minister of State at the Department for Education Sarah Teather is a charity leader, experienced Board member and former government minister and MP. She is currently interim Chief Executive of a national children’s charity that helps young people, families and schools to tackle bullying. She also serves on the boards of Barts Health NHS Trust and Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust as a non-Executive Director. 

Previously, she led JRS UK, a charity providing support, legal advice and accommodation to refugees. She was the Minister of State for Children and Families from 2010 to 2012. She served in Parliament for 12 years as MP for Brent East from 2003 to 2010, and then as MP for Brent Central following boundary changes. She stood down from Parliament in 2015