Doris Ansari Explained

Doris Martyna Ansari (née Ashurst; born 18 May 1941) is a former Liberal Democrat politician from Cornwall and Chairman of Cornwall County Council from 2005 to 2009.[1] She was then opposition leader on Cornwall Council from 2009 until she stood down in 2011.

Early life

As Doris Ashurst, Ansari was born in Ince-in-Makerfield, Lancashire, on 18 May 1941, the daughter of John Ashurst and his wife Maggie Birch. In 1960, she married Asadullah Ansari in Farnworth. By 1962, they were living in Redruth, Cornwall, where their three children were born in the 1960s.[2] [3]

British politics

Cornish politics

Ansari was first elected to Truro City Council in 1971, to Carrick District Council when it was formed in 1973, standing as a Liberal,[4] and to Cornwall County Council in 1980.[5] In 1987, while she was chair of Cornwall County Council's planning and employment committee, she was shortlisted to be the Liberal candidate at the Truro by-election after the death of incumbent Liberal MP David Penhaligon;[6] Matthew Taylor was eventually selected as the candidate and won the by-election.[7]

She was the County Council's vice-chair from 1995 to 1997 and its chair from 2005 until its abolition in 2009.[8] Ansari also held the post of Portfolio Holder for Education for a period.[9] [10] She was criticised for not including Cornish issues in the education curriculum, which she said would be "dangerous" and "put Cornwall on the road to the Balkans".[11] Ansari was awarded an OBE in the 2000 New Year Honours for services to the community in Cornwall.[12] [13]

After the establishment of the unitary Cornwall Council, Ansari was elected by the Truro Tregolls division and became opposition leader and leader of the Liberal Democrats on the council from 2009 to 2011.[14] [15]

In April 2011, she announced she would be standing down as Liberal Democrat leader having been in local government for 40 years.[16] She did not contest the 2013 election, being succeeded by Loic Rich.[17] By the time of her retirement, Ansari was one of the longest serving members of the council.[18]

Regional and national politics

Ansari was a member on several regional and national bodies throughout her career including the South West Regional Arts Council,[19] the Milk and Dairies Tribunal,[20] and the South West Rural Development Agency.[21] [22]

European politics

In 2003 and 2004, Ansari chaired the Committee on Social Cohesion of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe and was a rapporteur for Congress reports.[23] [24] She was also a British representative to the Chamber of Regions at its 11th session in 2004.[25]

Ansari was made a UK delegate to the European Committee of the Regions from 2008 to fill seats left vacant during the term of office which ended in 2010.[26] She was renominated by the Local Government Association for the 2010–2015 term, but served only until 2013.[27] [28] She was Vice-President of the ALDE Group on the Committee between 2012 and 2013.[29] [30]

Electoral history

1979 Carrick District Council election

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Head of education retires . . 3 April 2021 . 3 April 2006.
  2. "Doris Ashurst" in England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007, Ince 8c 243; "Asadullah Ansari" in England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005 Farnworth 10c 386, Spouse: Doris Ashurst
  3. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/04509936/filing-history?page=4 "Cornwall International Male Choral Festival Ltd Company number 04509936 Filing history
  4. Web site: Colin Rallings . Michael Thrasher . Carrick District Council Election Results 1973–2007 . Elections Centre . . 4 April 2021.
  5. Web site: Graham Smith . Doris Ansari banned from press conference . . 3 April 2021 . 25 October 2010.
  6. News: Dennis Johnson . Liberals' Truro list . 11 June 2022 . . 7 February 1987 . 3 . . subscription.
  7. Web site: Results of Byelections in the 1983-87 Parliament. Boothroyd. David. 2015-09-19. United Kingdom Election Results. 5 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180405203844/http://www.election.demon.co.uk/by1983.html. dead.
  8. Web site: Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of the County Council . . 3 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070406142013/http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=412 . 6 April 2007.
  9. Web site: Jon Mills . The Decline and Revival of the Cornish Language . Kent Academic Repository . . 3 April 2021 . 16 . 2014.
  10. Rhisiart Tal-e-bot . Rhisiart Tal-e-bot . Cornish Pupils Refused Right to Record their 'Cornish ethnicity' . . Spring–Summer 2003 . 121 . 17 . 3 April 2021 . Celtic League.
  11. Book: Jon Mills . Partridge . John . Interfaces in Language . 2010 . . 9781443823999 . 202 . 21 June 2021 . Genocide and Ethnocide: The Suppression of the Cornish Language.
  12. Web site: NEW YEAR HONOURS . . 3 April 2021 . 31 December 1999.
  13. Web site: O.B.E. . . 3 April 2021 . 31 December 1999.
  14. Web site: MPS PAY TRIBUTE TO LOCAL CHAMPION DORIS ANSARI . Truro and Falmouth Liberal Democrats . 3 April 2021 . 9 May 2011.
  15. Web site: Stephen Ivall . Cornwall council Lib-Dem leader elected . . 11 June 2022 . 15 June 2009.
  16. Web site: Cornwall Council opposition leader to step down . . 3 April 2021 . 28 April 2011.
  17. Web site: Election results for Truro Tregolls Cornwall Council elections – Thursday, 2nd May, 2013 . . 2 May 2013 . 4 April 2021.
  18. Web site: Steven Morris . Cornwall moves toward its own bank holiday . . 3 April 2021 . 22 July 2011.
  19. Web site: Annual Review 2005 . . 3 April 2021 . 171.
  20. Web site: AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD Public Bodies . . 3 April 2021 . 16 February 1994.
  21. Web site: Regional Development Agencies: Membership . . 3 April 2021 . 23 March 1999.
  22. Web site: Learning and Skills Council Local Strategic Plan 2002–05 Somerset . Institute of Education . . 3 April 2021 . March 2002.
  23. Web site: DRAFT AGENDA OF THE SPRING SESSION OF THE CHAMBER OF REGIONS – CPR/SP (9) OJ 1 prov. . . 4 April 2021 . 20 March 2003.
  24. Web site: DRAFT AGENDA – CPR/SA (11) OJ 1 prov (last version: 26/10/04) . . 4 April 2021 . 4 November 2004.
  25. Book: . Official Report of Debates: 11th Session, 25–27 May 2004 . 6 January 2005 . . 9789287156068 . 3 April 2021.
  26. Web site: Council Decision of 7 April 2008 appointing seven UK members and seven UK alternate members to the Committee of the Regions (2008/310/EC) . . 3 April 2021 . 7 April 2008.
  27. Web site: Appointments Independent of the Board Process . . 3 April 2021 . 18 October 2012.
  28. Web site: Committee of the Regions welcomes new UK members . . 3 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150403033020/http://cor.europa.eu/en/news/regional/Pages/new-members-uk-delegation.aspx . 3 April 2015 . 26 March 2014.
  29. Web site: What have the Brits ever done for us?! . . 31 January 2020 . 3 April 2021.
  30. Web site: Movers & Shakers . . 3 April 2021 . 25 July 2012.

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