Shavannah Taj, known as Shav, is the new Labour Member of the Senedd for Caerdydd Penarth, but she never intended to become an elected politician. The Cardiff-born mother of two spent her career in trade unions, working in retail, call centres, hospitality, and even door-to-door sales before Mark Drakeford suggested she stand for election. Drakeford, the outgoing First Minister, told her he would not run again and encouraged her to seek the nomination for the Caerdydd Penarth constituency.
Union Support and Reform UK Concerns
Taj, who turns 50 this year, said the backing of the unions that employed her and the rise of Reform UK were key factors in her decision. Labour-affiliated unions approached her, citing polling that predicted a significant number of Reform UK candidates would win seats. At the UK level, Reform UK had already voted down employment rights legislation and caused problems in councils they controlled, alarming the union movement. Taj said, "They said 'we want a voice Shav, and it's got to be someone who understands'.
She added, "So for me to do this, I needed to know that I had their support and their blessing because coming into these spaces, you need to be remain connected to those values and sometimes you need a kick up your ass to be reminded. It's a big thing and it's a privilege."
A Life Shaped by Community and Inequality
Taj's upbringing gave her a unique perspective. Her father was a steelworker in Port Talbot and Cardiff, and she remembers him paying his union subs. Her mother ran an Asian women's fabric shop in Cathays, serving as an unofficial village elder, helping customers with personal issues. Taj recalls, "They would be talking about the fact that their child has been excluded from the school and they want some help, or they would come in and be like, 'my kids have this report, I'm not quite sure what this means', and so I'd say 'okay, let me have a look at it for you' and I'm like 15, 16 years old."
Her sister's difficult divorce and the family's support in raising her sons led to the creation of the Henna Foundation, a charity for victims of honour-based violence and domestic abuse. The charity no longer exists, but the experience of helping others stuck with Taj.
Overcoming Stereotypes in Education
Taj had to resit her GCSEs after time off school helping her mother. At Cathays High School, staff were sceptical she would return, with comments about Asian girls starting A-levels then being taken back to Pakistan for arranged marriages. Taj said, "I thought 'I'm going to show you'." She completed her A-levels at Coleg Glan Hafren.
Politics was ingrained in her formative years. She campaigned against the BNP starting a branch in Cathays and was involved in HIV awareness campaigns. Despite this, she never saw herself in elected politics. "Politics always felt really far away still, and you know people like me from my background don't end up in these spaces especially not in Wales, as a woman, Pakistani, Muslim," she said.
Return to Wales and Union Leadership
Taj moved to London for over a decade, working her way up at the PCS union to become national organiser. In 2011, she returned to Wales with her Nigerian husband and daughter after her mother fell ill and passed away. She became general secretary of TUC Cymru just before the pandemic.
She is the first woman of colour elected for Labour in the Senedd, following Natasha Asghar, who was the first overall. Taj said, "I happen to be the first again. It was like at the TUC, I was the first Muslim, minoritised woman to be in that position."
Priorities and Challenges in the Senedd
As an MS, Taj wants to focus on cost-of-living issues. "People are still working several jobs. People have got bills coming out of their ears, right? Everything's going up constantly. People want to know what their average shopping basket is going to cost. But we don't know, because you go into the supermarket and it doesn't matter which supermarket you go in anymore, it's all still crazy."
She emphasised the need for delivery and outcomes. "The Senedd has just got bigger if we don't prove to people that we are worth the money It will go in a different direction. There's always another party waiting in the wings to be the next more radical one so we should spend our time very, very wisely."
Reflections on Labour and Devolution
Taj joined Labour when Jeremy Corbyn became leader, identifying as a progressive socialist. On Andy Burnham, she said, "I think Burnham has a lot to offer. I think that he has been a good mayor," but added, "Let's see what happens with that."
She acknowledged Labour's struggles in the Senedd election, saying, "It was really sad and it was depressing. However, I was also very conscious of the fact that ultimately, people had voted for me and my responsibility, first and foremost, was to my constituents."
Taj believes Welsh politics has been too cautious. "We have been way too cautious, I think. We should have pushed more for further devolution but also to use our powers better."
A Call for Honesty and Transparency
Taj urged Labour to listen genuinely and be more honest with people. "Be more honest with people, be more transparent with people. Sometimes I think that even within government, when the last government was making decisions, they just didn't communicate with people."
She stressed the importance of showing value through action. "We as a Cardiff Labour team need to be working better together as well and I think that for me that is absolutely critical and that's how you demonstrate and you show your worth."
Concluding, Taj said, "This is not a joke. This isn't like a circus for us to have fun in. This is serious business."
