‘I stayed in Labour through it all – but we cannot go on like this’

Are we still pulling together for the sake of our country, or are we allowing a short-sighted leadership and a small group of individuals damage our party and, above all, do a disservice to the country we all love?

I ask this as someone who has seen both the strengths and the failures of our party from within.

I served as Leader of the Kensington and Chelsea Labour Group of Councillors from 2023 to 2026. I am reliably told I am the only Labour Group Leader in the country who did not lose a single councillor seat at last month’s local elections. Instead, we gained six additional seats from the Greens, Conservatives and Independents. We entered the election with seven Labour councillors and emerged with thirteen.

Of course, this success was not about me alone as a leader. I worked alongside a brilliant organiser, hardworking candidates and a local MP who supported us well. While I led the group through one of its most challenging periods, the results were down to collective effort and shared commitment.

Campaigning and governing

That experience, and what happened to me in 2022, has shaped my view of where our party finds itself today.

Like Andy Burnham, I stayed loyal to Labour even when I was blocked – I believe unjustly –  from being a parliamentary candidate in the 2022 selection process. Despite that, I stayed because I wanted to see a Labour government and continued to serve as a Labour councillor and local government group leader. At times it felt as though my party left me four years ago, but I never wanted to leave it. 

However, it becomes harder to stay silent when leadership is effectively subcontracted to a small, narrow-minded group of individuals. This problem began long before the saga of the so-called “Prince of Darkness” – Peter Mandelson. The leadership of our party delegated responsibility rather than exercising it directly before our leader became Prime Minister of this country.

What concerns me most is that this group never understood when campaigning should end and governing should begin.

READ MORE: ‘Dear Labour’

Instead of setting the political agenda as a governing party with more than 400 MPs, Labour has too often reacted to parties with five MPs or fewer. Those smaller parties have increasingly shaped the political conversation, while Labour, under the Prime Minister’s leadership, has struggled to define its own direction.

The consequences were clear in the recent local elections. Across the country, hardworking Labour councillors lost their seats through no fault of their own. Around 1,500 Labour councillors paid the price for national policy mistakes, unpopular decisions and avoidable errors. Whether it was winter fuel payments, policies seen as anti-business, or a series of unnecessary U-turns, local representatives were left defending decisions they did not make.

To borrow a tennis term ahead of Wimbledon, these were unforced errors.

When councillors lose their seats because of national mistakes, that represents a serious failure of political leadership. For that reason, I believe the Prime Minister should step aside and allow Andy Burnham (if he wins the by-election), who has a proven record of leadership and electoral success, to lead both our party and our country.

Seeking Justice for Grenfell

Last year, as Leader of the Kensington and Chelsea Labour Group, I travelled to Manchester to meet Andy Burnham. We discussed the similarities between the Hillsborough and Grenfell disasters, and the long fight for justice by affected families. I remain grateful for his advice, encouragement and support.

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For me and my fellow Notting Dale ward councillors in Kensington and Chelsea, securing justice for the Grenfell bereaved families and survivors remains our highest priority. This year marks the ninth anniversary of the Grenfell disaster. Seventy-two members of our community lost their lives, and still no one has been held accountable. Justice delayed must never become justice denied.

Advice to Labour Leadership

My advice to the Deputy Leader of our party, and to Andy Burnham if he becomes Labour Leader, is simple: rebuild trust within the Labour family.

Top-down leadership has failed. So too has the delegation of influence to a small group of short-sighted, seemingly revenge-driven individuals who have never run a business or a reputable organisation. Labour succeeds when it is a broad church, not when it becomes controlled by a narrow faction.

The NEC and regional structures of our party should also be reformed to become more transparent and accountable. We must change our party for the better and respect one another as part of the same political family, united by the privilege of serving as MPs, councillors, party members and volunteers.

My advice to our current leader, the Prime Minister, is to write personally to every councillor who lost their seat in last month’s local elections under his leadership, if he has not done so already. He should acknowledge their service, thank them, and facilitate a smooth transition of power for the good of our party and our country.

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Many people like me, from ethnic minority backgrounds or simply members of the Labour movement, may never again seek selection as parliamentary candidates. I do not want others to experience the injustices that I believe I experienced within my own party.

Nevertheless, I will continue to serve my constituents and remain loyal to Labour. Despite my criticisms, I want our party to govern well, regain the trust of the British people, and win re-election in 2029.

That, ultimately, is why I am speaking out.

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