Oona King has been out canvassing in Chadwell Heath in support of Wes Streeting, the Labour candidate for the forthcoming by-election.  Onna was the Labour MP for Bethnal Green & Bow between 1997 & 2005 and continues to maintain a high profile in the Labour Party & the media.  She joined local MP Mike Gapes, Councillors and Wes as they met local residents.

Wes has just come to the end of his term as the full time elected president of the National Union of Students, representing more than 7 million students in colleges and universities across the U.K.

He has also been a governor of the University of Cambridge and a board member of a number of national higher education sector agencies. Most recently he has been campaigning in marginal seats across the country in the general election.

Chadwell Resident Wes said:-

‘It is sad that Mark Gittens had to stand down as a councillor due to a technicality after topping the poll in Chadwell in the recent elections.

My term of office as NUS president comes to an end this week, and I am pleased to have been selected to give something back to the community in which I have lived for 9 years. I have the national experience to be a local champion for Chadwell’s residents.

The current Council is run by the Conservatives in coalition with the LibDems and has neglected Chadwell for many years. Now your new Labour Team is up and running with advice surgeries dealing with your problems. I want to be part of that Team and make a real difference.’

Bob Littlewood and Balvinder Saund, both representing Seven Kings Ward, were elected Leader & Deputy Leader of the Group. Helen Coomb, elected in Clementswood, is the new Chair while Ross Hatfull, representing Valentines, is Secretary to the Group. Bert Jones, elected in Goodmayes, becomes Treasurer, Baldesh Nijjar, from Chadwell, is Press Secretary & Mike Figg from Aldborough is the Whip.

Balvinder commented:

We are very priviledged to have a team of experienced committed Councillors and an intake of new Councillors buzzing with enthusiasm and skills and various interests, who will help strengthen the Labour Group to work towards the pledges made to the voters. Unity and the diversity of the group will be a powerful force to scrutinise the Tory/Lib-Dem Cabinet’s work and hold the new administration to account on behalf of all the residents of the Borough. We are grateful to the outgoing Leader of the Group, Councillor Elaine Norman and Chair of the Group, Councillor Dev Sharma who helped towards the increase of Labour Councillors on the Council. We look forward to working with the new team to defend our front-line services.

In Ilford South Labour has made further gains, virtually wiping out the LibDem presence by taking Chadwell for the first time and regaining seats from them in Clementswood & Goodmayes. Labour gained two seats from the Conservatives in Mayfield & Cranbrook has a Labour Councillor for the first time.

Labour took Tory seats in Aldborough and Clayhall in Ilford North as a result of some tremendous local campaigning. We said goodbye to the BNP and were a step away from taking seats in Hainault, also in Ilford North ward.

Heavy support for Labour in Wanstead and Snaresbrook contributed to a great result for John Cryer MP in the parliamentary election in Leyton & Wanstead.

Bob Littlewood, Leader of the Labour Group said:

In terms of votes, we won this election.
The little LibDem group have not yet told us which Conservative policies make teaming up with them so attractive.

Did LibDem voters want a Tory Council?

We will fight inside and outside the Town Hall to promote the policies which “won” the election in Redbridge - on school places, on affordable housing, on giving residents a stronger voice, defending Sure Start, improving transport and decent care services. After all, this is what most Redbridge people voted for.

Local teachers are ineligible to stand for election to the local authority for which they work.

Bob Littlewood, newly elected Leader of the Labour Group of Councillors on Redbridge Council, commented:

“I am sure that I speak for the Labour Group and the Party in Redbridge in expressing great sympathy with Mark. We thought we had Redbridge’s first black Councillor and someone with ongoing experience of work in the community.

A number of people failed to realise that Mark was not eligible to stand before the election. We made an innocent mistake.”

The date of the by-election is to be announced.