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About Us
Cultivating understanding and building enduring relationships between the Labour Party and the Middle East & North Africa.
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Hon. Patron
Cherie Blair CBE, KC
Cherie Blair is a leading international human rights lawyer, a passionate campaigner for women’s equality, and wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. In 2011, Mrs Blair founded Omnia Strategy, a pioneering international law firm that provides strategic counsel to governments, corporates and private clients.
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Mrs Blair has actively campaigned for human rights and equality for women. She is closely involved with a number of charities around the world with a special emphasis on those working with women, children and the transformative power of education. In 2008, she established the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, which works with partners to eliminate barriers to entrepreneurship for women, enabling global economic gender justice.
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Hon. Patron
Lord McNicol of West Kilbride.
Lord McNicol served as General Secretary of the Labour Party from 2011 to 2018 – steering the Party through multiple leaderships, general elections, and Brexit. He currently serves as the Shadow Minister for Business and Trade. He was previously Deputy Chairman (Speaker) in the Lords and has worked across the MENA region as a consultant and advisor on democratic structures, elections and political parties.
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Chair
Sir William Patey KCMG LLD
Sir William Patey was a senior British diplomat until April 2012. He served as Ambassador to Afghanistan (2010-2012), to Saudi Arabia (2007-2010) to Iraq (2005-2006) and to Sudan (2002-2005). He was also Head of the Middle East Department at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 1999-2002. Since retiring from government service in 2012, he has become an international consultant and regular media commentator on Middle East affairs.
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Director
Miran Hassan
Miran was the parliamentary aide to a shadow minister and member of the Home Affairs committee. During his years in Parliament, he worked for several MPs, leading efforts on key domestic and international policy issues, including the war in Libya and British detainees in Iran. In recent years, he has advised governments and diplomatic missions in London and Washington. A long-time Labour member and trade unionist, Miran was previously a Labour candidate and serves on the Executive Committee of the Wimbledon Labour Party.
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Parliamentary Labour Party Liaison
Dame Siobhain McDonagh MP
Dame Siobhain McDonagh DBE has been the Member of Parliament for Mitcham and Morden since 1997. She served as an Assistant Whip in the previous Labour government, and currently serves on the Treasury Committee and as a Member of the Panel of Chairs.