LOCAL ELECTIONS 2010: New Labour council - More euphoria for party as Town Hall falls to Red Rose + ISLINGTON COUNCIL RESULTS

Published: 14 May 2010
by ROISIN GADELRAB

THERE was a second day of celebrations for Islington Labour on Friday as they seized control of the council in a landslide victory, claiming 35 of a possible 48 seats.

High from the overwhelming victories se­cured hours earlier by Jeremy Corbyn in Islington North and Emily Thornberry in Islington South, with a substantial swing to Labour, the party’s exhausted council candidates were more than optimistic at the Sobell Centre count. 

While the reins of power were slipping from the national party’s hands, local Labour candidates were happily toppling Lib Dems from Town Hall power.

There were scenes of despair as the Lib Dems – in control of the council since 2002 – fell dramatically from power, plunging to just 13 seats.

The cull claimed some popular figures, including former mayors Stefan Kasprzyk and Barbara Smith, as well as crime chief Marisha Ray, Bunhill councillor Jyoti Vaja, Farhana Hoque, Marisha Ray, Emily Fieran-Reid and Julia Williams.

Former Camden councillor Arthur Graves, who stood alongside Mr Kasprzyk in Junction ward for the first time, scored a victory. Ursula Woolley and Greg Foxsmith clung on, by just 54 and 49 votes respectively.

Ms Woolley’s husband Caspar narrowly missed out on a seat in St George’s ward.

Islington’s only Green councillor, Katie Dawson, also lost her Highbury West seat to Labour, while the Tories failed again to claim a presence at the Town Hall.

Conservative Party leader Richard Bunting said: “Although we weren’t successful in electing a councillor, we’ve made some really good progress, specially in the south of the borough.”

Ms Dawson said that going to the polls at the same time as the general election had brought out a different kind of voter. “It’s disappointing be­cause we put our hearts and souls into it,” she said. “I got twice the amount of votes as last time but you have this loyal tribal voter who will only come out for a general election. But there’s still a big level of Green support in Islington.”

Islington Labour gained at least two firsts, with seats for the first councillor of Congolese origin (Jean-Roger Kaseki in Tollington) and
 the youngest councillor, aged 18, in the country (Faye Whaley in Canonbury).

Ms Whaley, a politics A-level student, said: “I’m overwhelmed, a bit dazed. I didn’t expect it. I totally respect that I was up against really good candidates. I expected them to get in.” 

Her main priorities are “to bring youth and the older generation together, especially in Canonbury where it’s broken down over the years”.

Wally Burgess, who had been moved from his favoured St George’s ward to contest Canonbury, surprised his own party by coming second.

Labour also made significant gains in former Lib Dem-held Finsbury seats.

New council leader Catherine West later promised to “understand the needs of the people of Islington”. She said: “We want to see a fairer Islington, more affordable housing, fewer inequalities, a new Citizens’ Advice Bureau and a hot dinner on the table for every single one of our children.” 

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