It's the London Borough of Butt! Leader sees off challenge & strengthens his position

The first part of Brent Labour Group's AGM saw Cllr Muhammed Butt easily see off a challenge from Cllr Abdirazak Abdi. Butt got more than twice as many votes as his opponent with fewer than a handful of abstentions.

With the Labour Group officer positions going to members friendly to Butt and appointments for particular Cabinet positions under his control, Labour insiders interpret the result as consolidating Butt's power and patronage, leaving him in perhaps his strongest position  yet since he replaced Ann John in 2012.  

By the next Local Council elections in 2022 he will have been Leader for 10 years having been Ann John's deputy previously.

With only one Liberal Democrat and 3 tame Conservatives in opposition and firm control of his own party, Butt is now likely to lay claim to an outstanding record of political and electoral success.

Perhaps that record will help him move on to other political pastures...