A DISTINGUISHED Rugby councillor has been praised by the leader of the opposition during a recent visit to the town.
Dr James Shera was praised for his four decades of service “in furtherance of the goals of humanity” by Jeremy Corbyn.
The borough councillor, who was last year decorated as Honorary Freeman of the Borough of Rugby, received the Labour leader and local Parliamentary candidate Debbie Bannigan en route to a meeting at Rugby Indian Association.
Dr Shera – the first Rugby borough councillor to be elected for ten consecutive terms, and the longest-serving Pakistani councillor in the UK – accepted a request by Mr Corbyn to give his blessing to Dr Banningan by formally nominating her as the party’s candidate for the next round of general elections.
Dr Bannigan said: “It is an honour to know that I have Dr Shera’s support. He has been a huge inspiration to me over many years and I know that he commands the respect of all local Labour Party members, as well as people across the globe whose work and lives have been enhanced through his contribution.”
In 1988 Dr Shera became the first Pakistani to serve as Mayor of Rugby, and only the second of his countrymen to become a Mayor in the UK.
He was awarded the Star of Pakistan in 1992 by the country’s President for services to community and interfaith relations, and remains the only recipient of the honour to live outside Pakistan.
He was awarded an MBE in 2007.
In April 2017 he was made an Honorary Freeman of Rugby Borough, the highest honour available to the borough council, for his outstanding contribution to interfaith and race relations – the first time all three major political parties unanimously seconded the award.
James Shera Way was named after him for his campaigns as chair of council of fellows of Warwickshire College.
