Greenwich Labour in crises? Seat lost to Greens in upset as internal disquiet mounts
Labour have lost a contentious election to the Greens in Shooters Hill after a bitter election that came about after a former Labour councillor was suspended, quit and then backed the Greens.
The result saw Labour’s vote drop to 30 per cent from 58 per cent as the former sitting councillor, Ivis Williams, raised concerns over land sales before being threatened with suspension.
With all votes counted, Tamasin Rhymes triumphed over Labour’s Jummy Dawodu.
For those of us with a long memory this may recall a time when a Labour Abbey Wood councillor called out the area being ignored – and was kicked out.
Since then Abbey Wood has seen many pliant Labour councillors (including some who did the sum total of sod all) as the town – and particular the vast Abbey Wood estate – have been long ignored. See me whinging about flytipping in the exact same spot pretty much daily for twenty years.
Has the authority ever undertaken any proactive measures to remedy that? In twenty years? Judging by the fact it’s still seen almost daily including this week, it doesn’t seem so. But it’s only Abbey Wood eh?
Still, time to put out a condescending story about anti-social behaviour with a chance to “learn more about what anti-social behaviour”.
Cheers for that but I know what it is, and I know you ignore it in certain areas.
Amusingly Labour also campaigned on flytipping in the Shooters Hill election, presumably for shits and giggles.
This also all goes back long before austerity. Institutional inertia has reigned supreme for some time.
Ignoring residents
However the main reason Labour probably lost is that they treated a sitting Labour councillor who raised issues local residents had concerns about extremely poorly, then doubled down and during the election tried to treat local residents as idiots.
The new proposed Labour candidate never bothered to show up at election hustings (every other party and independents did) and tried to claim in a letter that petitions signed by thousands against selling off land were insignificant. Arrogant much? In the end her losing margin was a lot less than the amount who signed those petitions she dismissed.
Issues also arose from how Labour select candidates with some in the party unhappy at who was selected. I recall how the party tried to parachute in a candidate as the MP for Erith and Thamesmead who knew sod all about the area. Allegations of interference and ballot box tampering were made as covered by The Guardian.
Thankfully a fuss was made and an excellent candidate was instead eventually selected who cared about the area. Unfortunately she’s now retired.
But it shows Labour have long had issues in the area. Now they have to contend with other parties who put up a stronger fight.
Complacent
Now over the years I’ve criticised the ruling party in Greenwich many times on this site. It’s not so much as it’s Labour but that any party in control for too long gets complacent. See areas with Tory control for years.
But yep, Labour in Greenwich is too often head in sand and doesn’t challenge officers and departments in the Woolwich Centre.
It’d be the same if any party on the political spectrum ruled for so long. Reform, Communist, Green, Monster Raving party or whoever. You name it. Parties in power for too long go bad.
Lewisham was famously a one-party state for years until two defected to the Greens in recent weeks. Greenwich is similar. Labour appears to be fracturing in urban areas and given how they’ve governed it’s little surprise.
Now I’m way too cynical now to favour any party in local politics. I tend to look at the candidates and ask: Do they have integrity? Do they care? That counts for much.
In Greenwich I’ve found many councillors – much like the former Erith and Belvedere Labour MP – on all sides demonstrate they do care.
But with Labour now, too many don’t appear to. Too much sucking up to the party line.
Even with the good ones its got to the point where publicly praising a Labour councillor can get them in trouble such is the control freakery on show – so I tend not to even if I want to. How mad is that?
What’s worrying is if that long standing intolerance of dissent or other viewpoints in Greenwich Labour is getting worse. After all, the closer a party is to losing the worse they often become as desperately gripping to power.
Will this be a wake up call for Labour in Greenwich? I talk often to people within the party and it’s been pretty torrid recently internally.
I hope they do learn. I fear they won’t. We shall see.
As to your news article before this one Labour council will do nothing but statements and consultations and leave a gap wide open for the next bi-election and hopefully a hard working Green candidate gets in.
I’m a life long Labour voter but would l seriously look a voting Green next time around, more than likely.
Why do they keep voting Labour in then in Abbey Wood?
Well most other parties never care or make any effort in towns like Abbey Wood for a long time. And then the widespread apathy from many allows Labour get in on a low vote. And that means the Labour candidates are often party oriented and don’t care about the area – and the cycle continues.
In my younger days when I was more idealistic I worked in Abbey Wood a few times for Greenwich council (as well as living there) and I’d always hear people saying the council are crap, the council are this or that taking it out on me.
I’d sometimes ask who they vote for then? Why not change it? Do something. Almost always I’d hear there’s no point as “they’re all the same”. I think that’s why in places now many turn to Reform or the Greens or whoever. People are so sick of the two big parties that ANY alternative is grasped.
I feel as a Black man there’s race issues here. Labour think they can take the Black vote for granted but in this election it was a Black councillor who quit Labour and then backed another party. I think they take us for granted but shown up
Also veeerrrrrry interested to see that also suspended a Black councillor in Abbey Wood before who dared speak out for better things in his area. Then claimed he was BNP!!! Labour isn’t a friend if they do this to people who are trying to better their areas.
I hope many black voters realise Labour isn’t for them much as Labour also abandoned the white working class. They’re only in it for power and certain interests. Sadly now the white working class are going to Reform who’ll do minimal for them. If only Labour werent packed to the brim full of the wealthy people and also represented a wider cross section of society as they once did they’d have more of a clue. I mean how many ever worked in a supermarket? We’ve got to get past identity politics and realise poorer people of all ethnicities aren’t well represented by labour as I think the party is too far gone. Where people go I don’t know. I still don’t think the greens are it. Also too aloof from many folks but maybe a better choice. Cant be worse?!
Given inherent structural racism in so many institutions, that’s not surprising. So sad candidates are apparently not judged on their humanity, integrity and merit
Sadly the few really good councillors and MP’s out there will be tard with the same brush as the rest of them in the Labour Party.
But to be honest when do you ever see your counciillor or MP. Never unless it comes to election time.
Most councillors and MP”s do not listen to their constituents or respond to correspondence from their constituents.
They do take voters for granted as pointed out by Joshua and PP.
Yesrs ago before councillors started to be paid thousands of pounds a yesr.
People stood to be councillors has they really cared about the areas they lived in and represented. Three really good councillors of the time spring to mind Jim.Gillman. Janet Gillman and John Austin-,Walker who were fantastic. John Austin-Walker went on to become the MP for Thamesmead for a period of time. They wete well known and well respected and regularly seen around the area. Sadly councillors like them have long gone. Hopefully this election result may be the start of the change that it’s so desperately needed on Greenwich Council at next years council elections. People have been saying for yesrs the council needs change.
@Graham: ‘Most councillors and MP”s do not listen to their constituents or respond to correspondence from their constituents.’ When I lived in Greenwich borough, my ward councillor was actually one of the handful of conservatives. I emailed him about the poor road sweeping and leaves actually being swept into the GUTTER. In short order, the gutters were cleared. I moved out of Greenwich nearly six years’ ago into the marginally less worse Lewisham.
Yes Anonymous201486 but he/she was a Conservative Councillor. Sadly until 2022 their was only about 9 Conservatives Councillors sittimg on tbe Council witb thr rest being Labour Councillors. After 2022 there was only about one or two conservative councillors on Greenwich Council giving the ruling Labour group a free hand to do want they want. Like now delaying the building of the new council housing behind the new Lesiure Centre to which was due to replace Troy House which was an housing block for the over 55*s.
At the next local elections in 2026 it is really important that people get out to vote if they want to see change on Greenwich Council. Even if we cannot get a change of leadership on the Council we neec to see a lot more Councillors from other parties the Conservatives. Reform UK. Greens Liberal Democrats
etc elected in many of the council wards as possible to provide a real strong opposition for the Labour ruling group to hold them to account and ensure money is spent fairly across the council and all areas of the Borough. If you want change you must vote for it. Every vote really does matter.
John Austin-Walker is a bit before my time but I do recall my family saying how good he was at raising any concerns.
Same for John Cartright. He died in late 2024 and I should have written a tribute to him. I didn’t know him but older generations in my family said he was a wonderful MP that greatly cared.
Though from what I’ve heard and read that was when the Labour party didn’t force candidates into a corner and have to tow the party line – and a party line from those at the top who are so detached.
Controversial perhaps but Id like to see cllrs paid a lot more – it’s a very tough job and often a thankless task. And many are good people. Some can’t be arsed or out of their depth granted, but most aren’t.
Emailing Labour in the borough goes like this:
There’s an issue.
Ignored.
Repeat.
Will pass it on.
Fobbed off by council staff.
Hope that helped bye.
Follow ups ignored.
Ivis Williams was a good councillor who reacted to any emails I sent her.
I live next to my old school which is now Shooters Hill 6th Form College. Greenwich Council have approved expansion of the college onto the former playing fields despite objections from Sport England. This included changing a hard play area into a staff car park.
I understand the latest new buildings will increase the number of students from 2,500 to 4.400. Ivis raised my concerns about parking problems in Red Lion Lane and the capacity on local bus services. The Planning Department stated that these were not a factor.
I also raised the large amount of money spent on the changing rooms in Charlton Park with her. The facility has hardly been used since. She asked the local councillors to reply. I’m still waiting.
One small point. She resigned before she was suspended.
The Council leader doesn’t the local election system. He refers to constituents rather than residents in wards. Councillors should represent the views of their residents not their party.
Absolutely Chris L. You are 100% correct.
Sadly If a councillor thinks outside of the box and does not follow party lines they are treated appalling by their Leaders and fellow councillors even suspended
In my opinion they are no better than school bullies and should be ashamed of themselves and their behaviour.
With regard to the extension of Shooters Hill Sixth Form College expansion and the huge increase in students. Will have a major impact on local parking and local bus services. This is a prime example of the council and their local Labour councillors not listen to local residents on issues that affect them and the area in which they live.
This why we have some of the worst bus services and parking problems in the London. Parking issues have not improved by Plumstead Bus Garage and the Mosque which sees a lot of double parking making it difficult for buses and other traffic to pass.
I too hope the by election result for Shooters Hill Ward on Thursday 26/06/25 may be the start of the change at Greenwich Council which people need and have been asking for. But to bring about change people need to get out and vote for change.
Has Labour ever publicly responded to the fly-tipping complaints you’ve raised for years in Abbey Wood?
Not really. They say they pick it up.
Great, but that’s reactive and not proactive. Doesn’t stop those doing it daily. If anything it encourages more of the same.
I agree John. John Cartright was an amazing MP has was Guy Barnet MP who represented Greenwich. They really listened and truly cared and really got stuff done for their constituents. Both were great losses to both the Labour Party and politics locally.
I am happy for councillors and MP’s to be paid more along with all public sector workers working with the public every day long as they do the job they are paid to do.
But you are right John it is a hard and thankless job.