Unmesh Desai | |
|---|---|
 Unmesh in 2017 | |
| Member of the London Assembly for City and East | |
| Assumed office 6 May 2016 | |
| Preceded by | John Biggs |
| Majority | 78,307 |
| Personal details | |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Labour |
| Profession | Politician |
Unmesh Desai is a British politician. A member of the Labour Party,he has represented City and East in the London Assembly since 2016. He served as Councillor on the London Borough of Newham from 1998 until 2018, [1] representing East Ham Central from 2002 onwards.
Desai has resided in East London for more than 30 years. He previously trained and worked as a solicitor. He is a trustee of the West Ham United Foundation,President of the Newham Cricket Club and a Vice-President of the East London Rugby Club. Desai acted as election agent for Stephen Timms,the Labour MP for East Ham. [2] He has written for The Guardian on the Prevent strategy. [3] Desai has also been the Chair of the Newham Fabian Society for several years.
Desai was first elected to the Newham London Borough Council in 1998,representing St Stephens ward. He was subsequently elected as a councillor for East Ham Central in 2002 following a boundary change. He continued being a councillor for East Ham Central until 2018 when he stood down to focus on his London Assembly work. During his time on Newham Council he served as Cabinet Member for Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour.
In May 2016,Desai was elected to the London Assembly succeeding John Biggs as the member for City and East,winning nearly 58% of the vote. [4] He was subsequently reselected as Labour candidate for the constituency for the 2020 London Assembly election. [5]
Desai is Labour's London Assembly spokesperson on Policing and Crime and Chair of both the London Assembly Audit Panel and the Police and Crime Committee. [6] During his time on the Assembly,he has campaigned on issues including police pay [7] and conditions, [8] anti-fascism, [9] and hate crime at football grounds. [10] [11]
The Greater London Authority (GLA),colloquially known by the metonym City Hall,is the devolved regional governance body of Greater London,England. It consists of two political branches:an executive Mayor and the 25-member London Assembly,which serves as a means of checks and balances on the Mayor. Since May 2016,both branches have been under the control of the London Labour Party. The authority was established in 2000,following a local referendum,and derives most of its powers from the Greater London Authority Act 1999 and the Greater London Authority Act 2007.
The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham is a London borough in East London. It lies around 9 miles (14.4 km) east of Central London. It is an Outer London borough and the south is within the London Riverside section of the Thames Gateway;an area designated as a national priority for urban regeneration. At the 2011 census it had a population of 187,000,the majority of which are within the Becontree estate. The borough's three main towns are Barking,Chadwell Heath and Dagenham. The local authority is the Barking and Dagenham London Borough Council. Barking and Dagenham was one of six London boroughs to host the 2012 Summer Olympics.
The London Borough of Newham is a London borough created in 1965 by the London Government Act 1963. It covers an area previously administered by the Essex county boroughs of West Ham and East Ham,authorities that were both abolished by the same act. The name Newham reflects its creation and combines the compass points of the old borough names. Situated in the Inner London part of East London,Newham has a population of 387,576,which is the third highest of the London boroughs and also makes it the 16th most populous district in England. The local authority is Newham London Borough Council.
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East Ham is a district of the London Borough of Newham,England,8 miles (12.8 km) east of Charing Cross. Within the boundaries of the historic county of Essex,East Ham is identified in the London Plan as a Major Centre. The population is 76,186.
Sir Stephen Creswell Timms is a British politician who served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 2006 to 2007. A member of the Labour Party,he has been Member of Parliament (MP) for East Ham,formerly Newham North East,since 1994.
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City and East is a constituency represented in the London Assembly. Created in 2000 it is represented by Unmesh Desai,of the Labour Party.
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The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham consists of two parliamentary constituencies:Barking;and the new constituency of Dagenham and Rainham. The borough is within the City and East London Assembly constituency,returning Unmesh Desai AM as the directly elected assembly member. Barking and Dagenham was part of the London constituency in the European Parliament.
The Mayor of Newham is a directly elected mayor responsible for the executive function of Newham London Borough Council in east London,England. The position is different from the previously existing annually appointed mayors of Newham,known as 'Civic Ambassador' from 2002 until the office was discontinued in 2009. The inaugural holder of the post,created on 2 May 2002,was Robin Wales - who held the position for five terms between 2002-2018. Wales was deselected as the candidate for Labour in the 2018 election,which led to the election of Rokhsana Fiaz as mayor,after Labour held Newham in the mayoral and local council elections.
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