Spotlight on Westminster by Oliver Sargent from DevComms

Oliver Sargent, senior account manager for DevComms, rounds up a hectic period in Westminster for West London with help from director Pavitar Mann who is leader of the Labour Group at Slough Borough Council.

May was far from a quiet month for MPs in West London, as Boris Johnson, the Member of Parliament for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, once again dominated the headlines.

However, amidst his prominence, several significant developments emerged that deserve attention.

One of the key debates in West London, particularly in Hammersmith, revolved around hospital improvements. Andy Slaughter (Lab, Hammersmith) publicly criticised the government following an announcement made in the House of Commons regarding the future of the hospital building program in England. Local hospitals, including Charing Cross, Hammersmith, and St Mary’s, are now facing delays and reduced funding.

Additionally, James Murray (Ealing North), another Labour MP and the Shadow Financial Secretary, voiced his criticism of the government’s stance on stamp duty during a House of Commons session. Murray argued that a Labour government would oppose any reduction in stamp duty, as it is not a prudent use of public funds.

Meanwhile, London’s Conservative MPs, including Bob Blackman (Con, Harrow), continued their campaign against Sadiq Khan’s plans to extend the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) to all London boroughs starting from August 29th, 2023.

Looking ahead, as the current London Mayor, Sadiq Khan (Lab), prepares for re-election next year, numerous Conservative candidates have announced their campaigns to secure the Conservative candidacy. Notably, Paul Scully (Con, Sutton) has declared his intention to run for London mayor and will temporarily suspend his activities as Minister for London during his campaign.

In other news:

Sarah Olney (Lib Dem, Richmond) has unsurprisingly been re-selected as the Liberal Democrats’ candidate for the South West London seat in the upcoming election. Similarly, Munira Wilson (Lib Dem), the MP for Twickenham, has also been re-selected.
The Conservative Chairman and MP for Chelsea and Fulham, Greg Hands, has faced ridicule over his party’s disastrous local election campaign. Hands played a prominent role in touring the country to drum up support for the Tories, but their worst fears were realised as they lost over 1,000 seats and control of nearly 50 councils.

Boris Johnson commentary

A special note on recent events involving former Prime Minister Boris Johnson from Pavitar K Mann, director of DevComms in London and leader of the Labour Group at Slough Borough Council.

“Friday was certainly a big day for Boris, first with the news of his newly elevated colleagues within his Honours list, followed by his resignation.

“Coupled with the increasingly Boris-like post-truth assertions of kangaroo courts and vendettas against him, it is hard to imagine it could have ended any other way for him.

“It’s interesting to note that despite his claims to the contrary, it was the Conservative Party who got rid of him as PM, and the Conservative Party dominated Privileges Committee whose findings has led to this outcome.

“Now the focus turns on the resulting by-election. It’s an election that Labour really has to win, and one that would represent a significant scalp.

“However, it isn’t as easy as that might sound. Recent elections have seen the Tories secure over 50 per cent of the vote. Rest assured all parties will be dedicating a huge amount of money, time and resources into the resultant by-election.”

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