Lord Dubs was born in December 1932 in Prague. He was one of the 669 Czech children rescued from the Nazis by English stockbrocker Nicholas Winton. He has written and broadcast extensively on the subject, and has been a keen campaigner on the plight of refugees.
Lord Dubs was educated at the London School of Economics (BSc Econ). From 1988 to 1995 he was Director of the Refugee Council. Lord Dubs has also been a local Councillor, Chair of the Fabian Society, Chair of Liberty, a Trustee of Action Aid, and a Trustee of the Immigration Advisory Service. He is currently a Trustee of the Open University.
From July 2000 to February 2001, Lord Dubs was Deputy Chairman of the Independent Television Commission. He was a member of the Broadcasting Standards Council between 1988 and 1994, becoming Deputy Chairman in 1995. He also served as Deputy Chairman of the Broadcasting Standards Commission until 1997.
He was appointed a Labour Working Peer in 1994, and from May 1997 to December 1999 was Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Lord Dubs was chair of the PLP in the Lords from 2000 to 2005. Prior to this, Alf Dubs was Labour MP for Battersea South, later Battersea, from 1979 to 1987. Between 1972 and 1977 Lord Dubs was Chairman of Westminster Community Relations Council.
Lord Dubs is Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Moldova and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on European Union Enlargement.