I am the first directly elected Mayor of Tower Hamlets Council. I am a solicitor by profession, specialising in family law. I am a member of the Law Society and their Advanced Children’s Law Panel.
I have been a Councillor for the Spitalfields and Banglatown ward of Tower Hamlets since May 2002. I was appointed Chair of the Development Panel in May 2002 and was the Lead Member for Education and Youth Services, 2003-2005. I have also been the Lead Member for Culture. I was Leader of the Council from May 2008 to May 2010.
I served as a member and general secretary of Community Alliance for Police Accountability (CAPA) in 1988 and a member and chairman of Tower Hamlets Law Centre from 1996-2001.
I was a Board member of the Poplar and Leaside Regeneration Project (SRB6) (2001-2002) and since 2001 have been a Non-Executive Director for the Board of Barts & The Royal London NHS Trust.
I grew up in Tower Hamlets, and now live in Spitalfields with my wife, and my son and daughter. I am a member of the GMB Union and the Cooperative Party.
