Labour Fails To Agree on Chiswick Candidates
Six places remain undecided for the May council elections
Mukesh Malhotra was selected as a candidate for Chiswick Homefields
The candidate selection process for the Labour party in Hounslow continues to be fraught with members failing to reach agreement on the candidates to contest Chiswick wards.
At a meeting this Friday (5 March) party members in the Chiswick area were supposed to complete the selection process for the borough with prospective candidates for other areas already decided.
However, the meeting concluded without agreement on two of the three wards in the area with no candidates chosen for Chiswick Riverside ward and the newly created ward of Chiswick Gunnersbury which incorporates the former Turnham Green ward. It will now also include residents on the south side of Popes Lane, the shops and flats above them along The Pavement, Popes Lane, and residents along Lionel Road North as well as the whole of Gunnersbury Park. Chiswick Riverside ward and Chiswick Homefields ward have also expanded westwards.
Another attempt to select the final six candidates is expected to be made on 14 March with Cllr Hanif Khan, who has been overseeing the borough’s transport policy, seeking the nomination for the Chiswick Gunnersbury ward.
The candidates to contest Chiswick Homefields ward were selected and Mukesh Malhotra, Saroosh Khan and Olivia Uwechue chosen. Mukesh Malhotra has served as a councillor previously and been deputy Mayor of Hounslow. He the chair of the Thamesbank Credit Union and was given a British Empire Medal last year and is reportedly well-liked across the political divide. Labour’s candidates will be up against long serving Conservative councillors John Todd and Gerald McGregor as well as the newly selected Jack Emsley.
Labour insiders believe they have a strong chance of taking Chiswick Gunnersbury which is being contested for the Conservatives by the three sitting councillors for Turnham Green, Ron Mushiso, Jo Biddolph and Ranjit Gill.
Based on voting patterns during the Mayoral elections, Labour have good reason to be optimistic about gains in Chiswick Homefields and Chiswick Gunnersbury and they are hoping that gains made in the polls since that time could see them have success in Chiswick Riverside as well. Gabriella Giles will contest Chiswick Riverside again joined by venture capitalist Seb Wallace and former leader of Hounslow Council Peter Thompson.
Hounslow Labour was quoted on the Brentford Today Facebook page as saying, "Chiswick members needed more time to select their candidates. Labour members take their responsibility seriously and they are committed to fielding candidates who will fight hard for our residents and who will end years of Tory malaise in Chiswick."
The Labour Party declined to comment on the candidate selection process.
The Conservatives picked all their candidates for the Chiswick area last August. Some Labour members in the Chiswick area have expressed frustration about the failure to finalise the candidate list with one saying, “These seats are winnable but the Tories have been out canvassing for months and we have delivered them an advantage that might just snatch defeat from the jaws of victory for us.”
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March 12, 2022