Toby Harris, Baron Harris of Haringey
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Toby Harris, Baron Harris of Haringey (born 11 October 1953) is a Labour Party
politician in the House of Lords.
Educated at Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School
and Trinity College, Cambridge
, he went on to become President of the Cambridge Union Society
. At Cambridge, he was a member of the Cambridge University Liberal Club.
He is a former councillor and leader of Haringey Borough Council
, and was Chair of the Association of London Government
. He was made a Life Peer
in 1998 as Baron Harris of Haringey, of Hornsey in the London Borough of Haringey. He was a Haringey councillor for 24 years, and stood down in 2002, two years after being elected to the London Assembly
for Brent and Harrow
in 2000.
As leader of Haringey Council, he had the job of dealing with the multi-million pound overspending under Bernie Grant's leadership on restoration of Alexandra Palace
, which the Council holds in trust for the people of London. He did not accept the decision of the Attorney-General in 1991 that the politically embarrassing overspending by the Council as trustee was unlawful and so could not be charged to the charity. Instead he maintained that the charity "owed" the Council £30m, charged compound interest on this "debt", and tried to offer the whole Palace for sale, a policy his successors are still trying to carry out despite it being stalled in the High Court in 2007.
One of the criticisms during his leadership was the expenses he incurred. Over the course of one year, his expenses were over £24,000, including over £15,000 spent on taxi fares.http://www.haringeyindependent.co.uk/archive/display.var.100481.0.taxiloving_peer_lords_it_up_with_expense_account.php Although the District Auditor's investigation cleared him of any impropriety, they were critical of the flaws of the system he implemented which meant that council executive members were never sent invoices for such expenses and so didn't check the actual amount that the council was being charged.http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/misc/print.php?artid=126736
He was the Leader of the Labour Group on the Assembly until he lost his seat at the 2004 Assembly election
. He was the first chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority
from 2000 to 2004, overseeing the introduction of police community support officers and neighbourhood policing. He is now the Home Secretary's representative on the Metropolitan Police Authority
with responsibility for overseeing the work of the Metropolitan Police in countering terrorism and in security.
Lord Harris of Haringey is a senior advisor to KPMG
, to Transport for London and a number of other public and private sector organisations. He was Director of the Association of Community Health Councils for England and Wales (then the national statutory body representing users of the NHS) from 1987 to 1998.
He is Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Policing and is Treasurer of the Parliamentary Information Technology Committee. He is a member of the House of Lords Select Committee looking into "Personal Internet Security". In the House of Lords, he specialises in policing matters, local government, technology and health issues.
Lord Harris is Chair of Freedom, a UK charity that aims to raise awareness of forced marriage and 'dis-honour' based violence.
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
politician in the House of Lords.
Educated at Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School
Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School
The Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School is a British independent school for boys aged 4–19. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and of the Haileybury Group....
and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, he went on to become President of the Cambridge Union Society
Cambridge Union Society
The Cambridge Union Society, commonly referred to as simply "the Cambridge Union" or "the Union," is a debating society in Cambridge, England and is the largest society at the University of Cambridge. Since its founding in 1815, the Union has developed a worldwide reputation as a noted symbol of...
. At Cambridge, he was a member of the Cambridge University Liberal Club.
He is a former councillor and leader of Haringey Borough Council
London Borough of Haringey
The London Borough of Haringey is a London borough, in North London, classified by some definitions as part of Inner London, and by others as part of Outer London. It was created in 1965 by the amalgamation of three former boroughs. It shares borders with six other London boroughs...
, and was Chair of the Association of London Government
Association of London Government
London Councils is the local government association for London, England, bringing together representatives of the 32 London Boroughs and the City of London Corporation, the Metropolitan Police Authority and the London Fire Brigade who are all members by subscription...
. He was made a Life Peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
in 1998 as Baron Harris of Haringey, of Hornsey in the London Borough of Haringey. He was a Haringey councillor for 24 years, and stood down in 2002, two years after being elected to the London Assembly
London Assembly
The London Assembly is an elected body, part of the Greater London Authority, that scrutinises the activities of the Mayor of London and has the power, with a two-thirds majority, to amend the mayor's annual budget. The assembly was established in 2000 and is headquartered at City Hall on the south...
for Brent and Harrow
Brent and Harrow (London Assembly constituency)
Brent and Harrow is a constituency represented in the London Assembly.It consists of the combined area of the London Borough of Brent and the London Borough of Harrow. In the 2010 General Election to Westminster the London Borough of Brent had two Labour MPs, one Conservative and one Liberal...
in 2000.
As leader of Haringey Council, he had the job of dealing with the multi-million pound overspending under Bernie Grant's leadership on restoration of Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace is a building in North London, England. It stands in Alexandra Park, in an area between Hornsey, Muswell Hill and Wood Green...
, which the Council holds in trust for the people of London. He did not accept the decision of the Attorney-General in 1991 that the politically embarrassing overspending by the Council as trustee was unlawful and so could not be charged to the charity. Instead he maintained that the charity "owed" the Council £30m, charged compound interest on this "debt", and tried to offer the whole Palace for sale, a policy his successors are still trying to carry out despite it being stalled in the High Court in 2007.
One of the criticisms during his leadership was the expenses he incurred. Over the course of one year, his expenses were over £24,000, including over £15,000 spent on taxi fares.http://www.haringeyindependent.co.uk/archive/display.var.100481.0.taxiloving_peer_lords_it_up_with_expense_account.php Although the District Auditor's investigation cleared him of any impropriety, they were critical of the flaws of the system he implemented which meant that council executive members were never sent invoices for such expenses and so didn't check the actual amount that the council was being charged.http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/misc/print.php?artid=126736
London Assembly election, 2004
An election to the Assembly of London took place on 10 June 2004, along with the London mayoral election, 2004.The Assembly is elected by the Additional Member System. There are fourteen directly elected constituencies, nine of which were won by the Conservatives and five by the Labour Party...
. He was the first chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority
Metropolitan Police Authority
The Metropolitan Police Authority is the police authority responsible for supervising the Metropolitan Police Service, the police force for Greater London ....
from 2000 to 2004, overseeing the introduction of police community support officers and neighbourhood policing. He is now the Home Secretary's representative on the Metropolitan Police Authority
Metropolitan Police Authority
The Metropolitan Police Authority is the police authority responsible for supervising the Metropolitan Police Service, the police force for Greater London ....
with responsibility for overseeing the work of the Metropolitan Police in countering terrorism and in security.
Lord Harris of Haringey is a senior advisor to KPMG
KPMG
KPMG is one of the largest professional services networks in the world and one of the Big Four auditors, along with Deloitte, Ernst & Young and PwC. Its global headquarters is located in Amstelveen, Netherlands....
, to Transport for London and a number of other public and private sector organisations. He was Director of the Association of Community Health Councils for England and Wales (then the national statutory body representing users of the NHS) from 1987 to 1998.
He is Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Policing and is Treasurer of the Parliamentary Information Technology Committee. He is a member of the House of Lords Select Committee looking into "Personal Internet Security". In the House of Lords, he specialises in policing matters, local government, technology and health issues.
Lord Harris is Chair of Freedom, a UK charity that aims to raise awareness of forced marriage and 'dis-honour' based violence.
External links
- Former Members of London Assembly – Toby Harris
- Announcement of his introduction at the House of Lords House of Lords minutes of proceedings, 26 October 1998
- Freedom Charity.