LONDON – After achieving a historic achievement that will remain on record in the British political literature, Hamza Tuzal has left the post of Mayor of Westminster, after a year full of unprecedented events in the United Kingdom, of which he was a witness and an actor.
Hamza Tuzal – of Moroccan origin – made the event when he was appointed a year ago as the first Muslim mayor in the history of the "Westminster" region, and he was the youngest mayor in the history of the whole of Britain, then Tuzal did not know that he was on the date of huge and unprecedented events, starting with the celebration of the platinum jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, then her death, and then the coronation of King Charles III.
During all these events, Hamza Tuzal was present, both during the preparation process and in its phases, because it is located in his constituency, which is the Westminster district, where Buckingham Palace is located, and the Westminster Church, where the coronation ceremony of King Charles III took place.
In his interview with Al Jazeera Net, Hamza Tozal tells about the details of this year, and his repeated meetings with King Charles III and a number of members of the royal family, and about his political ambition after what he achieved this year, and was he subjected to racism during this period?
My life has changed
Hamza began political work in the Labour Party at the age of 16, and was then elected to the municipal council of the "Westminster" region at the age of 18, however he stresses that he never thought that he would be on a date with history to take over the position of mayor; "I was constantly thinking about working in the council and progressing within the Labour Party, but this position was a real shift in my life."
Hamza recalls how he couldn't believe it when his Labour official told him he would be mayor, adding: "I thought it was just a joke and I only believed it when I started my first day of work."
Although Hamza was 22 years old when he assumed this important position, he stresses that he did not feel much pressure and confusion to deal with the demands of his position, adding, "One idea was instilled in my mind, which is that I am now a mayor and I must deal with this reality, and not waste time in fear or hesitation."
Hamza says that the system in Britain "makes it easier for you to do a lot of tasks, and there were people around me who helped me in everything and gave me guidance and advice," explaining that the position of mayor positively affected his life; "I became more confident and able to deal with complex files, and even my political outlook became more mature."
Meeting with the King
By virtue of his work, Hamza meets members of the royal family, including King Charles III, whom he has met more than once, which made him feel like "a nice man who knows how to open a conversation with you, and is always attentive to what you say."
Hamza stressed that he did not find any difficulty in dealing with King Charles III, adding, "Of course there is protocol that must be respected, but while talking to him you feel comfortable, that he is a good person, and every time he finds a way to talk to me, whether to ask me about the necklace I carry or the outfit I wear."
During his frequent meetings with the royal family, Hamza recalls how many members of the royal family expressed their admiration for his assumption of the position despite his young age, "and many times more than one prince assures me that the door should be opened to young people more to get these positions."
One of Hamza's best moments was "when I was on the podium next to Crown Prince William and I was in line with members of the royal family, and behind me Prime Minister Boris Johnson, London Mayor Sadiq Khan and the rest of the statesmen, and that was during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebration, and when I saw the picture I felt proud, as was my mother who was very happy with this picture."
In return for the welcome that Hamza received from members of the royal family and most of those he met during his tenure, some racist incidents occurred to him, especially after the comments on Twitter, which he explains by saying, "Because I am a Muslim, in addition to some people who ask me a question about my origins, and when I answer that I am from London, they say that they ask about my father's origins, and I answer that my mother was born in London, but they are looking for an answer that my origins are not from Britain, and this is a racist question indeed."
Political ambition
"Currently, I will return to the local council of the Westminster region and focus on working on youth files and the integration of minorities," he says, adding that he will prepare for the local elections to be held in 2026.
"I have to keep my seat and during this period I will gain more experience, and then I will think about progressing through the Labour Party to the British parliament."
Hamza does not hide that his dream is to be mayor of the City of London; "This position has a speciality, and I feel that it is more important than the prime minister, and my dream is to reach it one day."