WEMBLEY MATTERS
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Thursday, 21 May 2026
Brent Labour Group's statement on new minority-led administration
26 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Perhaps more details will emerge, but at the moment it looks as if the Tories have agreed to prop up a corrupt and widely-disliked administration and are getting remarkably little in return - a couple of committee chairs and a nine thousand quid allowance for Cllr Kansagra. Some people can be bought very cheaply!
Interesting Labour mention vote share. To be absolutely clear - Labour have NO Mandate to run Brent. While they benefitted from the UKs bizarre electoral system and ended up with 45.5% of Councillors on the Council they received less than 30% of votes of the third of Brent residents who actually voted. Brent residents rejected Cllr Butt and want him gone.
Labour have been handed power by the Conservatives in return for a number of paid position (allowances paid for by Brent taxpayers) because they know that the Conservative Councillors will allow them to do anything as they are now held to ransom and will need Labour to vote for a Tory to become Mayor next year.
It leaves the Tories looking like they just out for themselves as usual, we know that's their M.O., forget the residents that voted them in, and guess they can always blame Labour and Butt if things don't go their way.
Tokyngton voters wanted change. Butt got an overall minority vote. Our new Cllr. Chowdhury (cons.) gave all his votes to Butt at the Council meeting. We were totally betrayed. Well Done to the Lib. Dem and Greens for trying to give voice to Brent residents. Shame on you Cllr. Chowdhury.
Butt's decision-making skill he employed to make the Tories the official opposition, that of they had a higher percentage of the votes at the May 7th election forgets that the Greens got more votes than either the Tories or LibDems!! But we all know he has trouble with numbers, for instance, giving himself 50+% of planning on 45% of the council seats. This is going to be a bumpy ride. Other decisions such as putting Kelcher on Cabinet for Regen and Planning while he’s a commercial Lobbyist for Business and Finance and blogs on the employee’s website to reduce the effectiveness of the planning system., plus he’s a known member and lobbyist for Labour YIMBY (build anywhere, we don’t care). Then there’s the Cabinet Member for Housing, none other that Robert Johnson, who is still despised for his role in South Kilburn regeneration when a council officer.
Labour is scraping the barrel to fill in the 8 Cabinet positions,. Butt was in charge of Housing for a while - and what a disaster that turned out to be. AND the selfish Tories allowed it to happen against the clear wishes of Brent residents.
I don't care what line Brent Labour are spinning, the Deputy Mayor is a Tory so it's a coalition.
Labour has had 14 years to fix roads, et al, and haven't. Why should we believe this stitch up will serve us any more than Butt etc al has "served" us up to now?
LibDems are the true opposition in Brent and Tories need to eat the words printed on all their leaflets toot sweet.
In fairness, Cllr Kanta Mistry gets to achieve a long held dream: to wear the Mayoral robes and chain. The Mayoralty has been split alternating years 2 for Labour and 2 for the Tories. The Tories do so love dressing up!
We all know why Anton is making so much noise ??? he is clearly hurting because his attempt at a deal fell through or does not know how to work with others, about time he stops throwing tantrums and more time focusing on his ward !!!!!
That’s comical. After well over a decade as Leader of the Council, it’s a far from unreasonable request that Cllr Butt steps down to enable a cross-party administration. Instead, the troglodyte tendency within Brent Labour (predictably including the Butt family) poo-poohed this and the ever unprincipled Tories jumped at the chance of Mayoral robes and a few baubles. But it should be said that the latter are nothing if not predictable.
A very quick internet search shows that Councillor Muhammed Butt the re appointed Leader of Brent Council, has faced several controversies and scandals during his tenure, see below - so hard working council tax paying residents are rightly asking exactly why he's been voted back in as the Council Leader by our local Labour councillors? What example are they setting? Why exactly have the Tories backed Labour to allow this to happen?
Kilburn councillor sacked from Brent’s planning committee for ‘voting the wrong way’: Brent & Kilburn Times https://share.google/drZeunPFYJVG2bjM3
In 2024, he was publicly criticized by local Liberal Democrats and residents after an altercation at a council meeting where he was recorded telling a resident they were "embarrassing" themselves: MyLondon News: https://share.google/bHm7nO8NHN3oRCZ9m
Cllr Butt was investigated after a former Labour staffer alleged he told officials to keep the death of Councillor Tayo Oladapo secret for six weeks to avoid a by-election: London Evening Standard https://share.google/tEH6KFaciE3kB4hg
Cllr Butt apologized in 2016 and resigned from his equalities role after sharing a Facebook video that compared Israel to Islamic State. He also issued an apology in 2022 after sharing an anti-Israel TikTok video, which he claimed he did not watch in full before reposting: Council leader resigns equalities role after Israel post apology - Jewish News https://share.google/W6IzMubtHSFfOqYXd
In 2024, opposition groups and residents accused Cllr Butt of "stifling democracy" by attempting to change meeting rules to make it harder for councillors to challenge ("call in") cabinet decisions: Brent & Kilburn Times https://share.google/HVEvHaIFjkbSgbtUk
Leader of Brent Council sparks democracy row by trying to axe election for his deputy: Brent & Kilburn Times https://share.google/Iec6Dygpt8nLFn9Cu
The Labour Party in Brent has been accused of carrying out a “power grab” after filling key scrutiny posts with its own councillors rather than those from opposition parties. Brent Labour makes some key decisions which voters may be surprised about - MyLondon https://share.google/chtDhGR3HGfkJ2KDG
In 2025, Cllr Butt faced heavy criticism and accusations of "sectarianism" from Jewish community leaders regarding Brent's controversial move to twin with Nablus in the West Bank: The Jewish Chronicle https://share.google/hSJU1ME8jrJuTnywg
Along with another councillor, he apologized to the public after breaching Covid-19 guidelines by attending a restricted prayer service at a local temple: Brent & Kilburn Times https://share.google/bPeTTr9slUFB5dttv
Leader of Brent Council accused of breaching the Members' Code of Conduct over Planning Committee intervention WEMBLEY MATTERS: https://share.google/HMoLIK6XHRQPEm6Jq
It started almost as soon as Anton Georgiou was elected the Liberal Democrat councillor for Alperton in a by-election in January 2020. It seemed to annoy the Labour Brent Council leader, Mohammed Butt. Now there was a slash of yellow on what had been a very red map. https://share.google/XiUxYqFlRHbe0RsSc
Brent Council chief executive Gareth Daniel to quit after row with council leader Muhammed Butt: Harrow Times https://share.google/8eq55Hsk3aFXNSVO5
All the freebie tickets Butt got from Wembley Stadium after granting them licences for extra major events despite residents being severely impacted on event days... Brent council leader accepts £6,000 worth of tickets to Wembley Stadium events - MyLondon https://share.google/vjuDEO84ecz4lH557 - funny that he didn't declare any freebie tickets for Oasis or Coldplay last year - can't believe he didn't get them!
26 comments:
Perhaps more details will emerge, but at the moment it looks as if the Tories have agreed to prop up a corrupt and widely-disliked administration and are getting remarkably little in return - a couple of committee chairs and a nine thousand quid allowance for Cllr Kansagra. Some people can be bought very cheaply!
Thanks, Martin.
Can someone explain why the governing party (i.e. Labour) get a chance to nominate and vote on who the opposition is? That seems inherently daft!
A fairer, and more cogent, process would have been for the opposition parties to vote, amongst themselves, who the principal opposition would be.
Also while Labour may try and hide it in their statement, Kansagra did say that there was an "arrangement" between the Tories and Labour party.
Interesting Labour mention vote share. To be absolutely clear - Labour have NO Mandate to run Brent. While they benefitted from the UKs bizarre electoral system and ended up with 45.5% of Councillors on the Council they received less than 30% of votes of the third of Brent residents who actually voted. Brent residents rejected Cllr Butt and want him gone.
Labour have been handed power by the Conservatives in return for a number of paid position (allowances paid for by Brent taxpayers) because they know that the Conservative Councillors will allow them to do anything as they are now held to ransom and will need Labour to vote for a Tory to become Mayor next year.
Sono change then, what a disaster.
It leaves the Tories looking like they just out for themselves as usual, we know that's their M.O., forget the residents that voted them in, and guess they can always blame Labour and Butt if things don't go their way.
Once again hard working council tax paying residents will be impacted by party politics :(
I don't understand how the Tories can be the "opposition" if they're holding a post in the administration, the Deputy Major.
Can somebody explain that?
The true opposition leader is Anton from the Lib Dems. Butt is scared of him.
Tokyngton voters wanted change. Butt got an overall minority vote. Our new Cllr. Chowdhury (cons.) gave all his votes to Butt at the Council meeting. We were totally betrayed. Well Done to the Lib. Dem and Greens for trying to give voice to Brent residents. Shame on you Cllr. Chowdhury.
Butt's decision-making skill he employed to make the Tories the official opposition, that of they had a higher percentage of the votes at the May 7th election forgets that the Greens got more votes than either the Tories or LibDems!! But we all know he has trouble with numbers, for instance, giving himself 50+% of planning on 45% of the council seats. This is going to be a bumpy ride. Other decisions such as putting Kelcher on Cabinet for Regen and Planning while he’s a commercial Lobbyist for Business and Finance and blogs on the employee’s website to reduce the effectiveness of the planning system., plus he’s a known member and lobbyist for Labour YIMBY (build anywhere, we don’t care). Then there’s the Cabinet Member for Housing, none other that Robert Johnson, who is still despised for his role in South Kilburn regeneration when a council officer.
Held by the short and curlies
Labour is scraping the barrel to fill in the 8 Cabinet positions,. Butt was in charge of Housing for a while - and what a disaster that turned out to be. AND the selfish Tories allowed it to happen against the clear wishes of Brent residents.
I don't care what line Brent Labour are spinning, the Deputy Mayor is a Tory so it's a coalition.
Labour has had 14 years to fix roads, et al, and haven't. Why should we believe this stitch up will serve us any more than Butt etc al has "served" us up to now?
LibDems are the true opposition in Brent and Tories need to eat the words printed on all their leaflets toot sweet.
In fairness, Cllr Kanta Mistry gets to achieve a long held dream: to wear the Mayoral robes and chain. The Mayoralty has been split alternating years 2 for Labour and 2 for the Tories. The Tories do so love dressing up!
And has been ever since their first encounter.
How far the Tories go in supporting Butt & Brent Labour is going to be revealing - and excruciatingly embarrassing for them.
But heyho, Kansagra gets his extra £9K Pa and Mistry gets her robe and chains, This is old school entitlement on steroids.
We all know why Anton is making so much noise ??? he is clearly hurting because his attempt at a deal fell through or does not know how to work with others, about time he stops throwing tantrums and more time focusing on his ward !!!!!
That’s comical. After well over a decade as Leader of the Council, it’s a far from unreasonable request that Cllr Butt steps down to enable a cross-party administration. Instead, the troglodyte tendency within Brent Labour (predictably including the Butt family) poo-poohed this and the ever unprincipled Tories jumped at the chance of Mayoral robes and a few baubles. But it should be said that the latter are nothing if not predictable.
Hello Mo.
Anton won’t work with you.
Rightly.
Green Councillors won't work with him either (if they have any common sense).
Labour Councillors will work - to undermine him.
And Tories - they'll simply fall asleep - as they never work anyway.
Biuld tower blovks anywhere except in Kelchers ward you mean!
Understand Chowdhury was a paper candidate who wasn't expecting to get in.
We need a good investigstive journalist looking into all of this.
Laboir Councillors will not work to undermine him - they will keep quiet to keep their £14K allowances!
A very quick internet search shows that Councillor Muhammed Butt the re appointed Leader of Brent Council, has faced several controversies and scandals during his tenure, see below - so hard working council tax paying residents are rightly asking exactly why he's been voted back in as the Council Leader by our local Labour councillors? What example are they setting? Why exactly have the Tories backed Labour to allow this to happen?
Kilburn councillor sacked from Brent’s planning committee for ‘voting the wrong way’:
Brent & Kilburn Times https://share.google/drZeunPFYJVG2bjM3
In 2024, he was publicly criticized by local Liberal Democrats and residents after an altercation at a council meeting where he was recorded telling a resident they were "embarrassing" themselves:
MyLondon News: https://share.google/bHm7nO8NHN3oRCZ9m
Cllr Butt was investigated after a former Labour staffer alleged he told officials to keep the death of Councillor Tayo Oladapo secret for six weeks to avoid a by-election:
London Evening Standard https://share.google/tEH6KFaciE3kB4hg
Cllr Butt apologized in 2016 and resigned from his equalities role after sharing a Facebook video that compared Israel to Islamic State. He also issued an apology in 2022 after sharing an anti-Israel TikTok video, which he claimed he did not watch in full before reposting:
Council leader resigns equalities role after Israel post apology - Jewish News https://share.google/W6IzMubtHSFfOqYXd
In 2024, opposition groups and residents accused Cllr Butt of "stifling democracy" by attempting to change meeting rules to make it harder for councillors to challenge ("call in") cabinet decisions:
Brent & Kilburn Times https://share.google/HVEvHaIFjkbSgbtUk
Leader of Brent Council sparks democracy row by trying to axe election for his deputy:
Brent & Kilburn Times https://share.google/Iec6Dygpt8nLFn9Cu
The Labour Party in Brent has been accused of carrying out a “power grab” after filling key scrutiny posts with its own councillors rather than those from opposition parties.
Brent Labour makes some key decisions which voters may be surprised about - MyLondon https://share.google/chtDhGR3HGfkJ2KDG
In 2025, Cllr Butt faced heavy criticism and accusations of "sectarianism" from Jewish community leaders regarding Brent's controversial move to twin with Nablus in the West Bank:
The Jewish Chronicle https://share.google/hSJU1ME8jrJuTnywg
Along with another councillor, he apologized to the public after breaching Covid-19 guidelines by attending a restricted prayer service at a local temple:
Brent & Kilburn Times https://share.google/bPeTTr9slUFB5dttv
Leader of Brent Council accused of breaching the Members' Code of Conduct over Planning Committee intervention
WEMBLEY MATTERS: https://share.google/HMoLIK6XHRQPEm6Jq
It started almost as soon as Anton Georgiou was elected the Liberal Democrat councillor for Alperton in a by-election in January 2020. It seemed to annoy the Labour Brent Council leader, Mohammed Butt. Now there was a slash of yellow on what had been a very red map. https://share.google/XiUxYqFlRHbe0RsSc
Brent Council chief executive Gareth Daniel to quit after row with council leader Muhammed Butt: Harrow Times https://share.google/8eq55Hsk3aFXNSVO5
All the freebie tickets Butt got from Wembley Stadium after granting them licences for extra major events despite residents being severely impacted on event days...
Brent council leader accepts £6,000 worth of tickets to Wembley Stadium events - MyLondon https://share.google/vjuDEO84ecz4lH557 - funny that he didn't declare any freebie tickets for Oasis or Coldplay last year - can't believe he didn't get them!
What percentage of vote did the other parties achieve then? Strange comment.
Any party who thinks they should decide who leads another party are not serious about what they are saying.
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