Len Duvall, Baron Duvall
British politician (born 1961)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Leonard Lloyd Duvall, Baron Duvall, OBE (born 26 September 1961)[2] is a British Labour and Co-operative politician who has been chair of the London Assembly since May 2025, having previously served as deputy chair from 2024. Additionally, Duvall has been serving as the Leader of the Labour Group in the London Assembly since 2004, and has been the Member of the London Assembly (AM) for Greenwich and Lewisham since 2000. Duvall is a former chair of both the Metropolitan Police Authority[3] and the London Labour Party Regional Board.[4]
The Lord Duvall | |
|---|---|
Duvall in 2024 | |
| Chair of the London Assembly | |
| Assumed office 6 May 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Andrew Boff |
| Deputy Chair of the London Assembly | |
| In office 10 May 2024 – 6 May 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Onkar Sahota |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Boff |
| Leader of the Labour Group in the London Assembly | |
| Assumed office 2004[1] | |
| Leader | Tony Blair Gordon Brown Ed Miliband Jeremy Corbyn Keir Starmer |
| Preceded by | Toby Harris |
| Chair of the London Labour Party | |
| In office 2002–2019 | |
| Preceded by | Chris Robbins |
| Succeeded by | Jim Kelly |
| Member of the London Assembly for Greenwich and Lewisham | |
| Assumed office 4 May 2000 | |
| Preceded by | Office Created |
| Majority | 43,159 (25.4%) |
| Member of the House of Lords | |
| Life peerage 8 January 2026 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 26 September 1961 Woolwich, London, England |
| Party | Labour Co-op |
| Profession | Politician |
Early life and career
Early political career
Duvall was a councillor in the London Borough of Greenwich from 1990 until 2001, during which time he was deputy leader of the council, until 1992, when he became leader, a position he held until his election to the London Assembly.[7] He was one of the founders of the New Local Government Network, chair of the Thames Gateway London Partnership, chair of the Improvement and Development Agency for Local Government, vice-chair of the Local Government Information Unit, a non–executive Director of Millennium Experience Ltd, deputy chair of the Association of London Government, a member of the Council of Europe and Chamber of the Regions, chair of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (1998–2005), and in 1998 he was appointed an OBE for "services to Local Government in London and to the Thames Gateway Partnership".[7][8]
London Assembly
He was first elected as an AM in 2000, and retained his Greenwich and Lewisham seat in the 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2021, 2024 elections.[9][10][11][12] Duval is the only remaining London Assembly member to have served continuously since the London Assembly was established in May 2000. He is leader of the Labour Group on the London Assembly, chair of both the EU Exit Working Group[13] and the GLA Oversight Committee, and Deputy Chair of the Budget and Performance Committee and the Budget and Monitoring Sub-Committee.[14]
Outside the London Assembly, he was a non-executive director of Tilfen Land, a property development company and a board member of the Royal Artillery Museums Trust,[15] his father and grandfather having served as gunners in the Royal Artillery.[5] From 2015 to 2025 he was chair of the Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust.[16] During his time as chair Charlton House was placed on the Historic England at risk register.[17]
Daniel Morgan Inquiry
In 2021 Duvall was praised by the Panel investigating the unsolved 1987 murder of Daniel Morgan for giving effective direction while chair of the Metropolitan Police authority.[18]
House of Lords
Duvall was nominated for a life peerage as part of the 2025 Political Peerages to sit in the House of Lords as a Labour peer; he was created as Baron Duvall, of Woolwich in the Royal Borough of Greenwich on 8 January 2026.[19][20]
Personal life
His partner is Jackie Smith, who as at February 2026 was a councillor in the London Borough of Greenwich.[6]