Respected Labour leader Mo dies, 75
HILLINGDON POLITICIAN STRIVED TO HELP RESIDENTS
FORMER leader of the Hillingdon Labour Group Mo Khursheed has died, aged 75.
Mr Khursheed was born on May 12 1942 in Jhelum, Pakistan. His father served in the military and Mr Khursheed spent his formative years moving regularly around military bases with his family.
He was educated in a military school and then at college in Karachi. This upbringing taught him great self-discipline, to the extent that he said he never needed to use an alarm clock. In 1967, aged 25, he moved to live in Birmingham, where he continued his education, gaining a law degree from Birmingham City University.
In 1969, Mr Khursheed became a Constable in the City of Birmingham Police Force, where he worked for most of his adult life, retiring in 1993 having risen to the position of Inspector.
Mr Khursheed had many fond memories of his time in the police force, particularly of the last few years which he spent escorting royal dignitaries and other VIPs.
He met his wife Parveen in 1970 and they married in 1971.
Together they have five children and nine grandchildren, ranging from five to 23 years of age.
The eldest grandchild now works as a teacher at a school in Hillingdon and Mr Khursheed was immensely proud of them all.
Mr Khursheed and his family have lived in the borough since 1993.
Retirement from the police force did not sit easily with Mr Khursheed, who took on a new challenge with the London Underground as a customer liaison officer, based at Heathrow Airport.
It was during this time that he became active within the union, keen to support the rights of his colleagues. He was also keen to become active in the local community and in local politics.
Urged on by his friends John Oswell and Brian Neighbour, Mr Khursheed joined the Labour Party in 1993 and first stood for office in 1998 in the former Colham Ward.
In 2002 he gained a seat in Yeading ward and then in 2006 he started representing the ward he lives in, Botwell, where he has been ever since.
His motivation to stand for office was a desire to ‘stop criticising and start doing something.’
He greatly enjoyed his life at the council and, in particular, being part of the Labour Party and serving his community, being involved in many local projects and striving to improve the borough for the good of all of its residents.
He was particularly grateful to his colleagues when he was elected first as deputy leader and then as the leader of the Labour group in 2009 to 2012 and then again from 2014 to 2017, serving with dignity and distinction both times.
Mr Khursheed passed away on February 24.