Unmesh Desai

Biography

• London Assembly Member (GLA), City and East, 2016 - Present
• Councillor, London Borough of Newham, 1998 - 2018
• Political Officer, Newham GMB, 2014 - Present

Responsibilities for 2023-24

Member of the Police and Crime Committee.

Member of the Transport Committee.

Member of the Budget and Performance Committee.

Key issues

Political interests

Before being elected Unmesh worked as a criminal defence lawyer for a human rights firm, a researcher in police and crime issues in local government, and for a pioneering civil rights organisation campaigning for police accountability.

On Newham Council he was the first Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. He was a member of the Council’s Cabinet from its inception in 2002 and was responsible for Community Affairs until 2010. He then took on responsibility for Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour until 2016.

Unmesh is a past Vice Chair of the Local Government Information Unit, an Executive Member of Liberty and was a member of the London Labour Party Regional Board for a number of years.

Other interests

Unmesh is a member of GMB, the Labour Party, the Co-operative Party and the Fabian Society.

He is a trustee of the West Ham United Foundation, Ambassador for the Newham Cricket Club, Patron of Vallance Community Sports Association, and a Patron of the Policy Forum for London.

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