Unmesh Desai
{{short description|British politician|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Unmesh Desai
| honorific-suffix = AM
| image = Unmesh_Desai_cropped.png
| caption = Unmesh in 2017
| office = Member of the London Assembly
for City and East
| assembly = London
| term_start = 6 May 2016
| term_end =
| majority = 78,307
| predecessor = John Biggs
| successor =
| office2 = Councillor on London Borough of Newham for East Ham Central (2002-2018)
| term_start2 = 1998
| term_end2 = 2018
| birth_date =
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| death_date =
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| nationality = British
| spouse =
| party = Labour
| relations =
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| residence =
| alma_mater =
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| profession = Politician
| religion =
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| footnotes =
}}
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 a councillor on the London Borough of Newham from 1998 until 2018,{{cite web|url=https://www.london.gov.uk/people/assembly/unmesh-desai/more-about|title=Unmesh Desai | London City Hall|publisher=london.gov.uk|access-date=2019-08-16}} representing East Ham Central from 2002 onwards. Desai has been an anti-racist activist since the 1970s, organising marches and demonstrations in response to a wave of racist murders, and helping to found the Newham Youth Movement to confront the rise in racial violence and injustice.{{Cite web |last=Walker |first=John |title=Racism in Forest Gate in the 1970s and 1980s Part 2 - the fight back begins |url=https://www.e7-nowandthen.org/2018/06/racism-in-forest-gate-in-1970s-and_12.html |access-date=2025-05-14}}
Background
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.{{cite web|url=http://www.ndtv.com/world-news/former-uk-minister-attacked-by-knife-wielding-muslim-woman-418052|title=Former UK minister attacked by knife-wielding Muslim woman|author=Press Trust of India|date=15 May 2010|work=NDTV.com|access-date=9 May 2016}} He has written for The Guardian on the Prevent strategy.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/profile/unmesh-desai|title=Unmesh Desai|work=the Guardian|access-date=9 May 2016}} Desai has also been the Chair of the Newham Fabian Society for several years.
Desai has been an anti racist activist for decades having help found the Newham Monitoring project to challenge the spate of racist murders taking place in the borough. John Walker writes:
A young Asian community activist played a significant role in raising black and Asian consciousness at the time - and in organising resistance to the prevailing racist orthodoxies.
It was the present Newham Greater London Assembly Member, Unmesh Desai, of the Newham Monitoring Project.{{Cite web |last=Walker |first=John |title=Racism in Forest Gate in the 1970s and 1980s Part 1 - the scene is set, as the attacks begin |url=https://www.e7-nowandthen.org/2018/06/racism-in-forest-gate-in-1970s-and.html?m=1 |access-date=2025-05-14 |language=en-GB}}
Career
{{update|date=May 2024}}
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.{{cite news|url=http://www.newhamrecorder.co.uk/news/labour_candidate_unmesh_desai_wins_london_assembly_seat_1_4525596|title=Labour candidate Unmesh Desai wins London Assembly seat|author=Sophie Morton|work=Newham Recorder|access-date=9 May 2016}} He was subsequently reselected as Labour candidate for the constituency for the 2020 London Assembly election.{{cite web|url=https://www.thlabour.org/wapping/2019/06/27/newsletter-edition-32/|title=Newsletter Edition 32 | Tower Hamlets Labour|publisher=thlabour.org.uk|access-date=2019-08-16}}
Desai is Labour's London Assembly spokesperson on Policing and Crime and sits on the Budget and Performance Committee, Police and Crime Committee and Transport Committees.{{Cite web |date=2024-05-06 |title=Unmesh Desai {{!}} London City Hall |url=https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-london-assembly-does/london-assembly-members/unmesh-desai |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=www.london.gov.uk |language=en-gb}} During his time on the Assembly, he has campaigned on issues including police pay{{cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/public-sector-pay-rises-full-18650583|title=Public sector pay rises in full: What police, teachers and more will get | Mirror Online|date=22 July 2019 |publisher=mirror.co.uk|access-date=2019-08-16}} and conditions,{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/met-police-cancels-330000-officer-rest-days-as-it-tackles-surge-in-knife-crime-and-police-cuts-a3998186.html|title=Met Police cancels 330,000 officer rest days as it tackles surge in knife crime and police cuts | London Evening Standard|date=23 November 2018 |publisher=standard.co.uk|access-date=2019-08-16}} anti-fascism,{{cite web|url=https://labourlist.org/2019/05/london-united-will-unite-the-left-to-fight-the-far-right/|title=London United will unite the left to fight the far right | LabourList|date=20 May 2019 |publisher=labourlist.org|access-date=2019-08-16}} and hate crime at football grounds.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/mar/26/west-ham-face-calls-to-condemn-democratic-football-lads-alliance|title=West Ham face calls to condemn Democratic Football Lads Alliance | The Guardian|newspaper=The Guardian |date=26 March 2019 |publisher=guardian.com|access-date=2019-08-16 |last1=Steinberg |first1=Jacob }}{{cite web|url=https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/assembly/unmesh-desai/clubs-urged-to-improve-recording-of-hate-crime|title=News from Unmesh Desai: Football clubs urged to improve recording of hate crime | London City Hall|publisher=london.gov.uk|access-date=2019-08-16}}
In 2022, Desai successfully called for a Metropolitan Police investigation into breaches of Covid regulations at Downing Street under the Boris Johnson administration.{{Cite news |last=Townsend |first=Mark |date=2022-01-29 |title=Will Met inquiry into Downing Street lockdown parties 'neuter' Gray report? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jan/29/police-inquiry-into-downing-st-lockdown-parties-neuters-gray-report-say-critics |access-date=2024-08-30 |work=The Observer |language=en-GB |issn=0029-7712}}
He has highlighted the phenomenon of "cuckooing", where criminals take control of a vulnerable person's home and use it for organised crime, writing a report "Protecting the Vulnerable: Addressing 'Cuckooing' in London" which showed there were 316 cases of cuckooing in 2022. The report set out recommendations to tackle the offense.{{Cite web |last=Desai |first=Unmesh |date=May 2023 |title=Protecting the Vulnerable: Addressing "Cuckooing" in London |url=https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2023-05/Cuckooing%20Report%20Embargoed.pdf |website=London Assembly}} Desai has continued this campaign, calling for cuckooing to be made a specific offence,{{Cite web |title=Police Professional {{!}} Much more to do to tackle 'cuckooing', says Assembly member |url=https://policeprofessional.com/news/much-more-to-do-to-tackle-cuckooing-says-assembly-member/ |access-date=2024-08-30 |language=en-US}} and calling on the Metropolitan Police to enact his recommendations.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-01 |title=MOPAC and Met efforts to combat cuckooing |url=https://www.policeoracle.com/article-library/mopac-quizzed-on-whats-being-done-to-tackle-cuckooing/ |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=Police Oracle |language=en-GB}}
He has highlighted the impacts of police underfunding, focusing on screened out crime,{{Cite web |last=Vickers |first=Noah |date=2024-03-01 |title=Data reveals how many crimes are being 'screened out' by Met Police |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/met-police-screening-out-crimes-offences-london-investigations-unmesh-desai-b1142679.html#:~:text=An%20analysis%20by%20the%20London,inquiry%20into%20a%20recorded%20crime. |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=Evening Standard |language=en}} Blue Badge theft{{Cite web |title=Fourfold rise in Blue Badge theft in London shows need for police and council funding – Unmesh Desai AM {{!}} London City Hall |url=https://www.london.gov.uk/www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-london-assembly-does/london-assembly-press-releases/Fourfold-rise-in-Blue-Badge-theft-in-London-shows-need-for-police-and-council-funding |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=www.london.gov.uk |language=en-gb}} and resources needed to police protests in London.
He has used his position to ensure that the Metropolitan Police build trust and confidence in their work following the Casey Review, monitoring the number of officers dismissed for misconduct,{{Cite web |last=Phillips |first=Jacob |date=2024-05-21 |title=Number of Metropolitan Police officers being dismissed hits new high |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/metropolitan-police-misconduct-casey-review-rogue-officers-b1159132.html |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=Evening Standard |language=en}} the number of hearings undertaken{{Cite web |title=Police Professional {{!}} 'Significant improvement in accountability of officers' as misconduct hearings hit new high |url=https://policeprofessional.com/news/significant-improvement-in-accountability-of-officers-as-misconduct-hearings-hit-new-high/ |access-date=2024-08-30 |language=en-US}} and new Policing Board that oversees standards in the Met.{{Cite web |last=Desai |first=Unmesh |date=12 October 2023 |title=London Policing Board |url=https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-london-assembly-does/questions-mayor/find-an-answer/london-policing-board-4 |website=London Assembly}}
He has also called for greater action from police on violence against women, highlighting high rates of drink spiking in London{{Cite web |last=Vickers |first=Noah |date=2023-11-24 |title=Drink spiking offences in London rise 300% in five years |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/drink-spiking-london-met-police-offences-unmesh-desai-nightlife-safety-b1122686.html |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=Evening Standard |language=en}} and poor prosecution rates for Female Genital Mutilation.{{Cite web |last=Vickers |first=Noah |date=2024-08-27 |title=Met Police log 1,000 FGM reports over 10 years but only two lead to convictions |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/female-genital-mutilation-reports-london-met-police-fgm-crime-statistics-b1178633.html |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=Evening Standard |language=en}}
Arrest and suspension
On 7 January 2025, Desai was administratively suspended by the Labour Party following a police investigation.{{cite web|url= https://www.onlondon.co.uk/london-assembly-member-suspended-following-arrest/|title=London Assembly member suspended following arrest |publisher=OnLondon|access-date=2024-01-07}}{{Dead link|date=April 2025}} Following an investigation which lasted some weeks, the police dismissed all charges against him and he was reinstated in the party. {{Cite web |date=17 March 2025 |title=London politician to rejoin Labour after Met Police probe |url=https://www.newhamrecorder.co.uk/news/25012698.london-politician-rejoin-labour-met-police-probe/ |website=Newham Recorder}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-london-assembly-does/london-assembly-members/unmesh-desai Profile] at the London Assembly
{{Current London Assembly members}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Desai, Unmesh}}
Category:Labour Members of the London Assembly
Category:Labour Co-operative Members of the London Assembly
Category:Councillors in the London Borough of Newham
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:British people of Indian descent
Category:UK councillors 1998–2002
Category:UK councillors 2002–2006
Category:UK councillors 2006–2010
Category:UK councillors 2010–2014