Brenda Vanessa Dacres (born November 1966)[1] is a British Labour and Co-operative Party politician who is Mayor of Lewisham. In 2024 she became the first black woman directly elected mayor in England.[2]
Brenda Dacres | |
|---|---|
| Mayor of Lewisham | |
| Assumed office 8 March 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Damien Egan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 1966 (age 57–58) |
| Political party | Labour |
Early life
editDacres is working class.[3] She was born to Windrush generation parents.[4]
Career
editShe formerly served as mayor and deputy mayor and on Lewisham London Borough Council.[5] She was elected in New Cross ward in 2014 and 2018 and Deptford ward in 2022. She first stood in 2017 for selection as the Labour candidate for Mayor of Lewisham but was beaten by Damien Egan, who was subsequently elected as Mayor in 2018.
Dacres applied to be the Labour candidate in the 2018 Lewisham East by-election.[6] She was a supporter of the Labour for free movement campaign.[7] She appeared on an all ethnic minority women shortlist but was beaten by Janet Daby.[8]
In 2024 she was elected Mayor of Lewisham. The by-election was called after Damien Egan was elected to Parliament in the 2024 Kingswood by-election.[9]
References
edit- ^ "DBD COMPUTER CONSULTANCY LTD people - Companies House - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
- ^ "First black woman wins directly elected mayoralty". BBC News. 2024-03-08. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
- ^ "Brenda Dacres is set to be the new Mayor of Lewisham". News Shopper. 2024-01-29. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
- ^ "This is who I am". Brenda Dacres. 2018-05-14. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
- ^ "Brenda Dacres". Brenda Dacres. 2023-07-05. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
- ^ @Brenda_Dacres (9 May 2018). "I'm standing to be Lewisham East's next Labour candidate. Here's why" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Rodgers, Sienna (2018-05-18). "How is Labour's Lewisham East selection race going?". LabourList. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
- ^ "Lewisham East by-election: Ethnic minority women-only shortlist". BBC News. 15 May 2018. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
- ^ "Lewisham: London borough voters prepare to elect new mayor". BBC News. 2024-03-01. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
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