Lights squabble dims the festive spirit at Highbury Barn
Political rivals clash over who carries out big switch-on, with mayor set to replace a celebrity
Published: 12th November, 2010
by TERRY MESSENGER
AN unseasonal row has broken out between Islington’s political parties over who will switch on the Christmas lights.
The Lib Dems have accused the ruling Labour group of hi-jacking the annual lights switch-on at Highbury Barn. They claim Labour Mayor Mouna Hamitouche is being lined up to turn on the lights in place of a celebrity.
In recent years comedian Clive Anderson and author Nick Hornby have flicked the switch. This year, BBC political editor Nick Robinson was expected to do the honours.
Lib Dem group leader Councillor Terry Stacy said: “This is just another example of Labour being control freaks.”
Labour have accused him of “sour grapes”, claiming he was jealous because he wanted to turn the lights on himself.
But Cllr Stacy insisted: “Local people in Highbury have organised their Christmas lights for the past few years without any interference from the council.
“But now Labour are in control, suddenly the council are interfering.”
Islington Council pays for the Christmas lights and puts them up but community groups and traders provide refreshments and entertainment, explained Labour environment chief Councillor Paul Smith. He said that the mayor probably would officiate.
Islington was facing hundreds of millions of pounds worth of Tory-Lib Dem cuts, Cllr Smith added, but Cllr Stacy was more concerned that, because he was no longer leader of the council, he would not get to turn the lights on.
A Labour Party source claimed that Cllr Stacy had initially approached council officers with the suggestion that he should turn the lights on.
But Cllr Stacy denied this, saying he would prefer a celebrity to carry out the switch-on.
He said that, whereas he had played a central role in organising the event in previous years, he was not going to help this time, which could mean no choir singing at the event.
“I got told the council was taking it over so I ceased to do any of the organising,” he said. “If the council so wish to organise a choir, they are more than welcome to it. I got told my services were no longer needed so I walked away.”
A Labour councillor will feature prominently at the switch-on of the Angel festive lights.
Councillor Martin Klute's jazz quartet is billed to provide the music on November 27. His band was booked by organiser Angel AIM, a business umbrella group.
Gavin and Stacey actor Larry Lamb will turn on the lights at Islington Green.
A five-week winter festival was to have been staged at Islington Green, complete with ice rink, funfair and Christmas market, but events firm Anything is Possible scrapped the plan after its main financial backer pulled out.