Executive committee

Sara has worked in the criminal justice system, primarily with women, for 10 years, following a first career in theatre. She has been both a parliamentary and a London Assembly candidate. She was in the inaugural Jo Cox Women in Leadership cohort.

Anneliese has been Labour MP for Oxford East since 2017. She is chair of the Labour Party overseeing the party’s policy review. Anneliese was previously a member of the European parliament for the south east England region and the first woman Shadow Chancellor.

Lord Sonny Leong CBE is chief executive of Civil Service College, a training provider for public sector staff, and a successful publishing, education and social enterprise entrepreneur. He is driven by two political passions – increasing minority representation and ensuring that no child is left behind in education or life opportunities. He regularly speaks on panels and writes articles on Labour’s need to increase BAME representation and engage positively with business. He was awarded a CBE for political service.

James Prentice is a researcher who is currently working for the Legal Services Board investigating the causes of the inaccessibility of justice. He has a background in political analysis. During his PhD specialised in electoral analysis, specifically explaining the consequences of Brexit on voting behaviour and political parties.

Jen is a Labour and Co-operative councillor representing Abbey ward on Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council.

James is a History and Politics student from Merseyside. He has served on the Young Fabians Executive Committee as Blog Editor and Editor of Anticipations, the Young Fabians magazine.  

Joy was elected as Police and Crime Commissioner for Durham in May 2021. Before this she was a County Councillor (2013-2021) and Cabinet Member, Town Councillor and local Mayor. She is a graduate of the Fabian Women’s Network Mentoring Programme and is currently the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners national lead for addictions and substance misuse and environment and sustainability.

Luke John is the chair of Birmingham and West Midlands Fabians. He previously sat on the Young Fabians national executive and was the first chair of the Young Fabians International Network. He is a PhD student at Aston University researching changes to social democratic parties in western Europe and is a member of the FEPS Young Academic Network.

Marianna has been a Streatham Wells councillor since 2018. As a Lambeth born Black woman who has lived in this borough all her life, she is driven to increase opportunities and life chances for all who live and work in our richly diverse ward. Her interest in mental health has made her aware of both health inequalities and racial injustice that affects so many Lambeth residents. She is a Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Trust Governor and also a member of Black Thrive’s Partnership Board that brings together local communities, statutory agencies, and voluntary organisations to address the structural barriers that prevent Black people from accessing mental health services.

Martin McCluskey is a doctoral researcher at the University of Edinburgh and a former political director of the Scottish Labour party.

Originally a research scientist for British Steel at Port Talbot, Mike spent 27 years as a lecturer in Pontypridd, teaching computing, before becoming an Assembly Member.

Mike represented the Morriston ward on Swansea Council between 1989 and 2012 and he held many posts on the council, including Council Leader. Taking an active interest in education, Mike has been a governor of Swansea University, Swansea Institute, Mynyddbach and Morriston Comprehensives, and Swansea College, and is currently chair of the governors of Glyncollen and Ynystawe Primary schools.

Paul Richards is the Labour & Co-operative candidate for Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), and chair of East Sussex Co-operative Party. He has served as a special adviser, parliamentary candidate, and aide to Labour MPs. Paul is the author of several Fabian pamphlets, is a regular contributor to Fabian Review, and is a former national Chair of the Fabian Society.

Rory joined the Fabian Society in 2022 as part of the events team for the Labour Party Conference before joining the team full time. He graduated from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama with a degree in production management and spent five years working in the theatre industry. Rory is currently studying for his masters in political communication at Birkbeck, University of London.

Lord Kennedy of Southwark is a Labour and Co-operative peer. Roy is chief whip in the House of Lords and a lifelong Fabian and Co-operator. He is a director of his local credit union and supports both Millwall FC and Surrey County Cricket Club.

Sarina works in policy and communications within the housing-with-care sector. She is currently Women’s Officer of Young Labour, Membership and Recruitment Lead for Labour in Communications, and previously sat on the Young Fabians National Executive. Sarina is actively involved in organisations and initiatives to encourage youth participation in politics.

Shahinoor is the Wales Public Affairs Officer for the League Against Cruel Sports. Shahinoor is also a Welsh Government appointed Youth Work Strategy Implementation Board member as well as the Deputy Secretary General for the Muslim Council of Wales. Formerly worked in the Senedd as a staff member for long serving member John Griffiths, he is passionate on issues such as young people, the need for adequate housing and promoting opportunities to assist the advancement of economic prosperity and social mobility in the UK.

Sonia Adesara is an NHS GP. She has previously worked in national health policy, as a former National Medical Director’s Clinical fellow, and for the cancer charity Macmillan. She campaigns to improve women’s healthcare and address health inequality. She has published widely in national media and academic journals, regularly features on the broadcast media and has received multiple awards for her campaigning work.

She is on the board of Trustees for the charity Medact, which supports healthcare professionals in addressing social determinants of health. She is the former co-chair of the Medical Women International Association, a global organisation advocating for women’s health.

Wes is the Labour MP for Ilford North and shadow health and social care secretary. He was first elected in 2015 and was appointed to the shadow cabinet in May 2021. He is a former president of the NUS.