Keith Vaz was born in Aden, Yemen on November 26th 1956. His parents were from Goa, India, and the family arrived in Britain from Aden 1965.

On the 26th July 2007 Keith Vaz was elected Chairman of the influential Home Affairs Select Committee - the body charged with examining the expenditure, policy and administration of the Home Office and its associated public bodies.

He was educated at Latymer Upper School, Hammersmith and Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge University where he recieved a B.A. (1979) and an MA (1987). Keith Vaz's previous career involved being a Solicitor at Richmond Council (1982). Senior solicitor, London Borough of Islington (1982-1985). Solicitor at Highfields and Belgrave Law Centre in Leicester (1985-1987)

Keith has been a Member of Parliament for Leicester East since 1987. During this time he has held a number of Government posts: Minister of State for Europe (1999-2001); Parliamentary Secretary (Minister), Lord Chancellor's Dept (May-Oct 1999); Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Attorney General, John Morris and Solicitor General, Lord Falconer QC (June 1997-May 1999).

He has previously served as a Member of the Constitutional Affairs Select Committee, as chair of the Sub-Committee for Courts and the Judiciary, and has previously been a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee (1987-1992).

Between 1993-1994 he was a Member of the Executive Committee of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. Keith is a member of the Labour Party's National Executive Committee. He is also Chair of the Labour Party's Ethnic Minority Taskforce.

He is married to Maria and they have two children, Luke aged 12 and Anjali aged 10.