He is a top criminal solicitor specialising in defending protesters and he is regularly quoted in the national press.
He has been covered in major newspapers for defending 300 Extinction Rebellion activists,[1] the Stansted Fifteen,[2] nine Black Lives Matter protesters at Heathrow,[3] protesters at DSEI,[4] UK Uncut's sit-in in Fortnum and Masons,[5] and Johnny Marbles.
[7] He is described by Chambers and Partners as having "a strong reputation for his work representing political protesters and other individuals charged with public order offences"[8] and was named the Legal Aid Practitioners Criminal Lawyer of the Year in 2012.
He quickly joined the Cabinet with responsibility for Housing, before becoming the Leader of the council in 2005, replacing Jane Roberts after she stepped down due to fear that she would lose the coming election (which Labour did).
He was considered less 'Blairite' than Roberts,[9] but lost his seat in 2006 to the Conservatives because of association with Blair post-Iraq War and delays in housing improvements.