Conservatives to cap immigration, says Shazia Awan

CEO of Peachy Pink and Conservative’s Parliamentary Candidate for Leigh, Shazia Awan has successfully worked as a PR consultant since graduating from Cardiff University with a Masters in International Relations.  She has managed national and international PR campaigns for an array of household names. However, after joining politics, she opted to start business of ladies underwear and her company has fast become a household name as she supplies her products to Britain’s biggest department store, Debenhams. Peachy Pink is set to distribute to retailers across the globe over the next year and Shazia has already been nominated for a national entrepreneur of the year award. Shazia was born and educated in South Wales and made political history as the first Asian woman to address a Welsh Conservative Party conference. She has always had an interest in politics and as such she beat off competition from hundreds of applicants to be selected onto a political mentoring scheme run by Operation Black Vote which went onto win a Channel 4 Hansard political award. Recently, she was part of the team of twenty from the party that took part in Project Maja, the Conservatives international social action project in Bosnia headed up by Baroness Warsi the Shadow Minister for Social Action ad Community Cohesion. She has always been actively involved in work in the community and was recently handpicked by the American Government to take part in a programme on community activism in Washington DC.  She wants to end unemployment, create new business opportunities and get better transport links in and around Leigh.

The Asians: Please let us know about yourself?
Shazia Awan: My father belongs to Pakistan and he remained a racing driver in Uganda while my mother is a house wife. I have one brother and two sisters. I am the youngest of them. I was brought up in Cardiff and always wanted to start my on business. I started with Peachy Pink during the economic crisis. The banks refused to extend me funding for the business and returned my applications with many objections. Not discouraged, I decided to start my business with my own resources and today my company’s products are sold at Debenham stores while I am also extending my business to Western Europe and South Korea.

The Asians: How did you decide to join politics and why did you opt for Conservatives?
Shazia Awan: I had been interested in politics from the very beginning but I did not know the way that leads to that direction. Five years back I was selected from hundreds of candidates for operation black vote for political mentoring scheme that later won Channel 4 Hansard political award. During the course, I studied various political parties in depth and found Conservative Party nearest to my views as it believes in family values, encouraging business entrepreneurs and other policies and I decided to join it.

The Asians: Do you think the present economic crisis is the main reason for ethnic hatred?
Shazia Awan: In my opinion its reason is immigration. That is why our Party leader David Cameron wants to cap further immigration. Labour government, it seems, has removed the blockade against immigration flood giving rise the situation in the country that no one is going to tolerate any more. In my opinion immigration should be regularly monitored. David Cameron has spoken of constituting a Border Control Force to which I fully agree.

The Asians: What is your opinion about Labour government’s present economic, domestic and foreign policies and what changes the Tory party has promised at grassroots level?
Shazia Awan: In my opinion, Labour party has pushed us back instead of leading towards progress and development. The record unemployment has increased poverty. Bank heads were being paid heavy salaries and bonuses despite economic crisis. David Cameron speaks for bringing positive economic and social changes.Tory party’s policies are very strong that would ensure business opportunities and progress. I can say on the basis of my personal experience that there has been no business support policy during the Labour tenure as no bank was ready to support me when I approached them for starting the business. Prevent policy of the Labour government also created resentment among Muslim community as it labeled the community as violent extremists. Labour party policies show that it has no idea about the British Asian community.

The Asians: Did you feel this domain was a better choice for you?
Shazia Awan: I belong to those who believe in hard work. Being a British Muslim business woman, to be a politician is not enough for me and I wanted to touch new heights of success in a positive way by remaining within the party fold.

The Asians: What strategic options Tory party has to steer the country away from the present economic crunch. What in your pinion is the reason for slower growth of the economy comparing with the European economies?
Shazia Awan: In my opinion, Gordon Brown and his Chancellor’s failed economic policies are the main reasons for this debacle. David Cameron has pledged to make Britain the most attractive place of the world for business and investments. Labour government has done away with micro management system. It gave many injections to banks for revival of the economy but to no avail. I had the opportunities to talk to David Cameron to know his mind in the light of which I can confidently say that he has the ability to rescue the country from this crisis.

The Asians: Do you think extremism is on the rise in Muslim youth?
Shazia Awan: It is quite unbearable for me that those who hit Baroness Sadia Warsi claim to be Muslims. But I understand that there is an extremists’ group in all religions. But instead of keeping mum we should come forward and challenge such elements as Baroness Warsi did. These people, in no way, represent Muslims or Islam. The fact remains that in this country Muslims are rendering distinct services in all departments of life. But these handful people are tarnishing the image of Islam and Muslims which the community should take notice of.

The Asians: Women in politics usually are in lesser number. What do you think is the reason for that?
Shazia Awan: In my opinion many women have entered politics from Conservative platform under the leadership of David Cameron. Baroness Sayeeda Warsi is one of them who is a role model not only for me but also for others. But the fact remains that their presence in the house is quite disproportionate. The women instead of getting discouraged should come forward and join politics. I have had the best advice and guidance from Cheryl Gillan and Baroness Sayeeda Warsi. I think that the more their number in the house would be the better represented and balanced it would look.

The Asians:  How did you conceive Peachy Pink alongside politics?
Shazia Awan: I had worked as PR consultant for a long time. But I always had an obsession for doing my own business. That was the reason I thought it now or never and started the business even in the economic crunch as I had faith in myself and my idea. So far as the name Peachy Pink is concerned, I chose the name after thorough consideration as I thought it as the best suitable name for ladies undergarments. The good aspect of it is that this name is equally liked by men.

The Asians: You have already been nominated for a national entrepreneur of the year award.How you feel for this nomination in such a short period?
Shazia Awan: Peachy Pink has become a popular brand in a very short span of time and the place it has won the others would take years to reach. Peachy Pink is a unique idea and I take my nomination for the Award as my good luck.

The Asians: How you do justice to all your three positions as a businesswoman, a politician and as a community worker at a time?
Shazia Awan:  Honestly speaking I have no time to spare but I am working in all the three departments with a certain spirit. I am fortunate enough that my parents and friends always encouraged me. There is one advantage in the business that you yourself mark your working time. That is why I am able to maintain balance in politics and business.

The Asians: Please let us know about electioneering?
Shazia Awan: The central point of my election campaign is improving business atmosphere in my constituency. It would be my endeavour to make my area peaceful. Besides, I would also work for creating more job opportunities. Better rail network is also an important part of my campaign. Asians in my constituency are in lesser number but I would be an MP for the entire constituency and not for a certain community and would raise their voice in the house in a better way.

The Asian: What message do you like to give women of Asian community?
Shazia Awan:  Asian women are discharging their obligations both in the house and outside in a better way and are in no way inferior to men. I think they should also come into politics and exploit the opportunities and resources available around.