In 1998, Lee was elected for the London Borough of Redbridge Fairlop Ward and stepped down in 2006. During this time, he served as Cabinet Member for Communities and Planning ,Regeneration for three years.

In 2005 he was elected as the MP for Ilford North and served two terms. During this time, he served as PPS to Phillip Hammond and Chris Grayling, chaired the Regulation Reform Select Committee and served on Speaker's Chairmans' Panel. When he was defeated 2015, he took on the role of Special Needs Childrens Czar under Prime Minister David Cameron during the 2009/2010 parliamentary sitting. In 2018 to 2019 he was the Special advisor on Local government and communities to Rt Hon James Brokenshire.

Prior to his parliamentary career, he was the Director of United Jewish appeal charity from 1988 to 1998. He managed 200 staff and an income of £20m per annum. 

He has run his own political consultancy business for a large number of companies and is currently working with Glyn Hopkin and PFM.

He now runs a charity getting young people with special needs in to work.