Unmesh Desai
Key information
Start date for this term:
Salary: £62,761
Constituency: Barking & Dagenham, City of London, Newham, Tower Hamlets
Political group: Labour Group
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 2024-25
Member of the Budget and Performance Committee
Member of the Police and Crime Committee
Member of the Transport 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 Community Director for Essex Cricket in the community.
He is a former 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.