Rushanara Ali is the Labour MP for Bethnal Green and Stepney and has served as an MP since May 2010. She is currently a member of the Work and Pensions Committee. She has previously served as Minister for Homelessness and Democracy at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, as Shadow Minister for Investment and Small Business, a member of the Treasury Select Committee, U.K. Trade Envoy to Bangladesh, Shadow Minister for Education and Young People and Shadow Minister for International Development. In addition to her government and shadow government posts, she has co-founded numerous organisations, promoting leadership development and employability for young people. Before she was elected, Rushanara was Associate Director of the Young Foundation. She has also worked at the Home Office, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Institute for Public Policy Research. She also worked as Assistant to Lord Young of Dartington and Assistant to Oona King MP. Rushanara grew up in her constituency attending Mulberry school and Tower Hamlets College.