After undergoing major heart surgery in 2021, Len Duvall was preparing to retire from his esteemed political career. But instead of stepping down, the Chair of the London Assembly and the only remaining member since its creation in 2000 has taken on even greater responsibilities.
Unexpected Elevation to the Lords
Lord Duvall, a veteran Labour politician, was elevated to the House of Lords late last year as one of 25 new peers appointed by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. This came after he became Deputy Chair and then Chair of the London Assembly in 2025.
Speaking exclusively to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), Lord Duvall said: "I was preparing for a different form of life after the next couple of years and planning for that. Like everybody, I've got some great-grandchildren and grandchildren that I particularly want to spend time with. But when this invite came to consider joining the House of Lords, it was pretty special."
Balancing Two Demanding Roles
Instead of retiring, Lord Duvall now balances his time between holding Mayor Sadiq Khan to account in City Hall and serving as one of 223 Labour peers in the Lords. He described the experience as "a hard grind," adding: "We were in the middle of lots of votes on legislation, it's that period of time, and lots of late nights."
His maiden speech in February came during a debate on the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill. While not his specialist subject, he noted that new peers "don't get much choice" in their first speaking topic. In his speech, he emphasized change: "This government was about promoting change. We need to think really seriously about how do we deal with change, how we cope with change, because sometimes it's imposed on us and sometimes we create [it] in the journey."
Serving London and the Nation
Lord Duvall is one of nine current and former London Assembly members to serve in the Lords, including three Labour peers, four Lib Dems, one Green, and one Conservative. He intends to work cross-party to serve both the government's agenda and the capital.
"There are limited opportunities to do that sort of work when you're trying to push through the government legislation of the day," he explained. "But there are opportunities, and the House of Lords is made for that. When it happens, it's through conversations and a better understanding from each other's position."
Future Plans
Lord Duvall's term as Chair of the London Assembly may end on May 11, when members vote for the next one-year term. However, he will continue as a constituency Assembly Member, handling casework and sitting on committees. He expects to step down in 2028 to focus more on the Lords.
"I'm still doing the other job, so I'm still a London Assembly Member. I'm committed to seeing out the term, I'm not going to resign, so I'm juggling the two roles. Other Assembly Members have done it in the past. It's not easy, but I think it's doable," he said.
