Kurd becomes deputy-mayor of London’s wealthiest borough

By Kurdistan Hassan

 

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Mohammed Bakhtiar, who is originally from the Kurdistan Region, has become deputy-mayor of London’s Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

“I will have four difficult years to keep the trust of the people,” Bakhtiar told Rudaw.

Bakhtiar came to Britain 21 years ago and, after a long struggle, was able to claim asylum. He has come a long way since struggling to find work as a new arrival in the UK. He was first elected as a local Labour Party councilor in 2014. 

“He was in my class. When he came to Britain, he had lost everything including his job and family. He was a lawyer and his English was broken. Yet he was ambitious and friendly, wanted to help others,” Bakhtiar’s former teacher told Rudaw. 

Kensington and Chelsea is among the wealthiest boroughs in Britain, home to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. However, it also contains some of London’s most deprived neighborhoods, including the housing estate where Grenfell Tower once stood. 

On June 14, 2017, a huge fire engulfed the residential tower, killing 71 people. Bakhtiar came to national attention for his efforts to help survivors and victims’ families. 

“We chose Bakhtiar because he is kind and will use all his skill to help others,” said Marie-Therese Rossi, the former deputy-mayor, who resigned following the Grenfell disaster.