Left candidate loses council leadership race after national party ordered re-run

A left-wing Labour councillor thought to have won the race to lead London’s Southwark council last week has lost a re-run of the contest by a whisker, after party officials overturned the initial result over alleged breaches of process in the first ballot.

The rare seeming victory for a left-wing candidate under Keir Starmer’s leadership has been reversed, after a second ballot was held this week which saw them lose, LabourList understands.

Cabinet member for council homes Sarah King (pictured) will be the new leader of the council, after beating James McAsh by two votes. “It’s good news for the Labour group, wider party and our borough,” one local Labour source said.

READ MORE: Southwark leader race ‘to be re-run over rule breach claims’ as left-winger wins

Any cynicism on the left about whether the re-run may have been ordered on more political grounds has been shot down, however. Some votes in the initial internal group contest appear to have been cast by proxy – which the party found to be in breach of local standing orders, and the contest was tight enough for this to have affected the result.

The margin of the initial invalidated ballot had been just a single vote after five rounds, and the tie had been broken after taking first preferences into account.

McAsh had looked set to become the new leader of the Labour group in south London last week, and had defended the initial process to Southwark News last week too.

McAsh, King and the Southwark Labour group were not immediately available for comment on Tuesday.

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King’s website says she has been a councillor since 2010, and she was previously chair of the group. It adds that the Champion Hill councillor is passionate about providing affordable housing and tackling the climate emergency.

A self-described socialist and former supporter of former leader Jeremy Corbyn, McAsh was elected to represent Goose Green ward on Southwark Council in 2018.

He has held roles in the local authority’s cabinet. McAsh is currently the Cabinet Member for Clean Air, Streets & Waste.

His election comes after Councillor Kieron Williams recently announced he would stand down as council leader.

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “This ballot had to be re-run after it was established votes had been cast which were ineligible under local party rules.”

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