Keith Vaz

Keith Vaz is the Chairman of the influential Home Affairs Select Committee, is a member of the Labour Party’s ruling body the National Executive Committee and chairs the its Ethnic Minority Taskforce. He was born in Aden, Yemen. He has been a Member of Parliament for Leicester East since 1987. Since being elected he has held a number of Government posts including; Minister of State for Europe (1999-2001), Parliamentary Secretary (Minister) and Lord Chancellor's Dept (May-Oct 1999). He has also held the position of Chairman of the influential Home Affairs Select Committee since 2007. Prior to being elected as MP for Leicester East, Mr Vaz was a practicing solicitor. He was educated at Latymer Upper School, Hammersmith and Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge University.