05-25-2006, 04:47 PM
Admins may remove if not found appropriate for this thread:
Historic day as city's first "Asian" Lord Mayor takes the reins
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->By Dave Marsh
Municipal Reporter
Civic history was made in Leeds last night when Mohammed Iqbal became the city's first Asian Lord Mayor.
Coun Iqbal (Lab, City and Hunslet) was installed as the city's 113th lord mayor, with his wife, Fatima, and daughter, Sayeka, a Leeds Metropolitan University law student, sharing the duties of lady mayoress.
<b>A Muslim born in Kashmir</b> <b><i>(that should read Mirpuri)</i></b>, Coun Iqbal came to Leeds in 1970 when he was nine. He was elected to the council in 1999. Coun Iqbal played a leading part in trying to bring communities together after it emerged three of the July 7 Lond-on bombers had lived in Beeston.
He told last night's meeting: "People went through a traumatic time when pictures of Beeston and Holbeck were flashed around the world. It was heartening to see how the div-erse communities pulled together."
He said he was very honoured to be elected Lord Mayor of Leeds, a city renowned for welcoming and embracing people from different religions, cultures and backgrounds.
Coun Iqbal said: "It was Leeds that gave me a home, an education through school and college and gave me work. I see this as an opportunity to pay back the city that adopted
me from the age of nine." He said during his year of office he would be raising money for an appeal for children's intensive care equipment at LGI and an appeal to set up a burns unit in Kashmir.
Coun Chris Beverley (Morley South), the city's first British National Party councillor, broke with tradition to abstain instead of voting in favour of Coun Iqbal's appointment, as well as that of Coun Jack Dunn (Labour, Ardsley and Robin Hood) as deputy lord mayor. Retiring Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress are Coun Bill Hyde and his wife Pat.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<img src='http://editorial.jpress.co.uk/web/Upload/LEED/235200624e4-2305-02-2305_082331.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
PROUD DAY: Coun Iqbal with with his wife, Fatima, who will share Lady Mayoress duties with daughter Sayeka. Picture: Dan Oxtoby
"He said during his year of office he would be raising money for an appeal for children's intensive care equipment at LGI and an appeal to set up a <b>burns unit in Kashmir</b>."
This will never stop till the Brits don't stop them.
Historic day as city's first "Asian" Lord Mayor takes the reins
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->By Dave Marsh
Municipal Reporter
Civic history was made in Leeds last night when Mohammed Iqbal became the city's first Asian Lord Mayor.
Coun Iqbal (Lab, City and Hunslet) was installed as the city's 113th lord mayor, with his wife, Fatima, and daughter, Sayeka, a Leeds Metropolitan University law student, sharing the duties of lady mayoress.
<b>A Muslim born in Kashmir</b> <b><i>(that should read Mirpuri)</i></b>, Coun Iqbal came to Leeds in 1970 when he was nine. He was elected to the council in 1999. Coun Iqbal played a leading part in trying to bring communities together after it emerged three of the July 7 Lond-on bombers had lived in Beeston.
He told last night's meeting: "People went through a traumatic time when pictures of Beeston and Holbeck were flashed around the world. It was heartening to see how the div-erse communities pulled together."
He said he was very honoured to be elected Lord Mayor of Leeds, a city renowned for welcoming and embracing people from different religions, cultures and backgrounds.
Coun Iqbal said: "It was Leeds that gave me a home, an education through school and college and gave me work. I see this as an opportunity to pay back the city that adopted
me from the age of nine." He said during his year of office he would be raising money for an appeal for children's intensive care equipment at LGI and an appeal to set up a burns unit in Kashmir.
Coun Chris Beverley (Morley South), the city's first British National Party councillor, broke with tradition to abstain instead of voting in favour of Coun Iqbal's appointment, as well as that of Coun Jack Dunn (Labour, Ardsley and Robin Hood) as deputy lord mayor. Retiring Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress are Coun Bill Hyde and his wife Pat.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<img src='http://editorial.jpress.co.uk/web/Upload/LEED/235200624e4-2305-02-2305_082331.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
PROUD DAY: Coun Iqbal with with his wife, Fatima, who will share Lady Mayoress duties with daughter Sayeka. Picture: Dan Oxtoby
"He said during his year of office he would be raising money for an appeal for children's intensive care equipment at LGI and an appeal to set up a <b>burns unit in Kashmir</b>."
This will never stop till the Brits don't stop them.