Ayesha Hazarika

Ayesha Hazarika MBE (born 15 December 1975) is a Scottish broadcaster, journalist and political commentator, and former political adviser to Labour Party leader Ed Miliband and his deputy Harriet Harman.

Quotes

• It was a terrible decision and I would like to say I was not involved in that [...] Because there weren't a lot of women in the room making these decisions – we were on the pink bus, which tells you everything you need to know about how valued women were in terms of making the decisions.
  But it's a big lesson there in terms of chasing celebrities for political points.
  • Interviewed on the Today programme (BBC Radio 4, 19 September 2023), as cited in "Ed Miliband's Russell Brand interview was a 'terrible decision'", The Telegraph (19 September 2023)
  • On the decision for Ed Miliband to appear on Russell Brand's The Trews online television show during the 2015 UK general election campaign. The interview followed allegations in the media concerning Brand's alleged sexual assault and abuse of multiple women, accusations which he denies.

• Being so casual and cynical about being happy to lose the Muslim vote plays into a wider darker narrative which Labour doesn't want to fuel, because it's not who we are.
  • "Ignoring George Galloway would be a huge mistake for Keir Starmer", i (1 March 2024).
  • George Galloway had returned to parliament at the 2024 Rochdale by-election.