My Story.

Queen’s Park and Maida Vale is a place that means a huge amount to me.

My great-grandfather came to the UK as a teenager, fleeing the pogroms and poverty of Lithuania, before working his way up to open a shop in Kilburn High Road; my Mum grew up off Edgware Road before moving to Maida Vale; and I was born in St Mary’s Hospital, growing up living on Westbourne Park Road and attending Hallfield Primary School.

Here I saw the challenges many children experienced locally and the opportunities they were cut out of on their doorstep. That has driven me ever since, and the need we see now is greater than ever.

I spent 14 years in local government, including seven as Leader of Camden Council. I’m so proud of what we managed to achieve during that time, whether delivering food during Covid or supporting Afghan refugees.

Here, I also saw the power of communities - local government staff going above and beyond to provide essential services and support for those in need. And this is something I now see every day in Queen’s Park and Maida Vale, with both Brent and Westminster Labour councils working tirelessly to support local residents.

In July 2024, I was elected for the first time to represent Queen’s Park and Maida Vale. I was appointed Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office by the Prime Minister where I worked hard to reform our public services to ensure services were designed with and for local communities, and that people always come first.

In September 2025, I was appointed Minister of State for School Standards in the Department of Education.