The countdown continues to London’s all-out borough elections. With only 24 days to go until Londoners go to the polls, we continue to report on the best…and the worst of the campaigns across the capital.
Development continues to be served up as political ammunition in Barnet, and in Wandsworth and Hillingdon, the old classics of bin collections and council tax continue to dominate campaigns.
Government planning intervention equips Barnet Tories with new campaign ammo
The Secretary of State last week placed a holding direction on the B&Q Cricklewood scheme promoted by Montreaux. Initially approved by Barnet’s planning committee in September 2021, the Secretary of State has now pulled the breaks on the decision.
Whilst there may well be ample planning reasons behind the halt, we political sceptics feel there’s too much of a coincidence between this and suring up the Childs Hill seat for the Conservatives…
Mayor-a Culpa
Fresh off launching policy that pits her directly against the Croydon Local Plan, Labour’s Mayoral hopeful Val Shawcross has this week described her embarrassment at her party previously bankrupting the Council.
Shawcross is quick to distance herself from events – pointing out she wasn’t part of the council at the time- however, these rivers run deep with the voters.
Lutfur: Old Habits die Hard?
Concerns have been raised about Lutfur Rahman’s campaign activities in Tower Hamlets, following remarks by a key activist encouraging those loyal to Lutfur to ‘collect postal votes’.
Tower Hamlets elections department has prohibited campaign volunteers from handling postal votes, following large-scale postal vote fraud in 2014.
Wandsworth – Labour cutting council tax
Last week we reported on the Conservatives announcement that they intended to cut council tax, after Labour had pledged to freeze it. This was regarded as a response to recent polling placing Labour ahead in the borough. However, have Labour now committed to cutting Council tax? According to a video posted by Putney Labour, they have:
There’s lots of reasons to vote Labour in Wandsworth on 5 May, but here’s a top three.
1. We’ll cut your Council Tax this year.
2. We’ll intro food waste recycling.
3. We’ll invest in safer streets.Wandsworth Labour is on your side. pic.twitter.com/JPBGRZpOdt
— 🇬🇧🌹 Putney Labour Party 🌹🇬🇧 (@PutneyLabour) April 6, 2022
The flip-flop everchanging nature of the Labour Pledge on Council Tax was known to confuse voters in 2018 and there seems to be no ‘official’ announcement on this yet. Have Labour fallen foul of their same indecision again?
Hillingdon – Junk’s slam a dunk
Hillingdon Conservative Council
♻️ Weekly Bin Collections
♻️ Easy & simple to use service
♻️ Free Garden Waste CollectionHarrow & Ealing Labour Councils
❌ Fortnightly Bin Collection
❌ Multiple Wheelie Bins & Boxes
❌ £80+ for Garden Waste Collection #PuttingResidentsFirst pic.twitter.com/f9X4Z8jck6— Hillingdon Conservatives (@Hillingdon_Tory) April 7, 2022
Hillingdon Tories are hoping their weekly and free bin collection services can sway voters come 5th May. Council Leader, Ian Edwards, has appeared in a short video this week to present the Conservative offering and draw comparisons toneighbouring Harrow & Ealing. By keeping it weekly and uncostly to the taxpayer, the Tories want to demonstrate that they will “put residesnt’s first” when it comes to their wheelies.
