Lib Dem campaigners after the count
The Brent Liberal Democrat Group grew by 8 Councillors at this election, taking them to 11 in total. The result means they are now the joint second largest party on Brent Council.
Following what they termed an exceptionally successful election for Liberal Democrats in Brent, Paul Lorber has stood down as group leader.
At a meeting today Liberal Democrat Councillors unanimously voted for Anton Georgiou to succeed Paul Lorber.
Commenting on the decision Paul Lorber said:
The Liberal Democrats have had an incredibly successful election, winning in 8 seats from Labour, and playing a key role in Labour losing their majority. I take great pride in my contribution to this success and feel this is the right time to hand over the leadership. Among our 11 strong Liberal Democrat Group we have many talented people.
I am pleased that Anton Georgiou was elected unanimously to take over from me and to tackle the new challenges facing our area. He will lead a confident group that will challenge Brent Council to deliver much more for our residents.
New Brent Liberal Democrat leader, Anton Georgiou said:
This election has been a milestone for my party. We have more than trebled Liberal Democrat representation in Brent and have a team of great Councillors who are dedicated to being real champions for their communities.
I want to pay tribute to Paul, who has been a mentor and friend for well over a decade. His commitment, over many years, to working in the interests of local people and to holding Brent Council to account, will continue with the Brent Liberal Democrat team that I proudly now lead.
In other news there are whispers that Muhammed Butt has been talking to Brent Tories.
29 comments:
Great news. Anton was a really incredible councillor before and will continue to be.
Congratulations to Anton, honest, personable and above all has always delivered for Alperton.
Congratulations to Anton.
I’m a Labour Cllr , he’s a good man.
Congrats to you all, and let’s hope for a better Brent with your new team Anton
Imagine the glee on Paul's and Anton's faces if Butt gets into bed with the Tories - every single attack line from Butt has been about the Con-Dem coalition from 2010.
If Labour and the Tories decide to do a deal, I hope many Labour councillors defect to the Greens and/or Lib Dems in protest at Butt's desperate attempt to cling onto power.
Eleven Libdems and nine Greens is pointless if the Tories go in with Butt and Co, they don't even need to vote with them, they can support by abstaining. They will no doubt get Scrutiny Chairs and 50% of the Mayors. That right, you voted Tory and will get another four years of B~ent Labour under Butt.
Both are really respected members of the local community. Wish them all the best, and I know they will do a good job. Glad to have voted for the Lib Dem’s in Wembley Central.
Congratulations Anton. Happy to hear the great news! Highmead Crescent residents are happy to know that you and your team will continue to look out for us all. Well done!
I always thought this boy would go far. He been at it for so long and never gave up. Im glad he felt able to come back - why not he become leader of council ……
Well their politics nationally of new world order, neoliberal progressivism is the same
If Brent Tory Cllrs join forces with Brent Labour so that Butt can cling to power then those Tory Cllrs will surely be voted out at the next local elections!
Paul Lorber is a Brent legend who has given so much to our community. Many thanks to him. I am confident Anton will continue his legacy. As a Labour voter, I’m pleased that the opposition to the current administration will be stronger than before with Anton and his team of Councillors. Labour need a new leader in Brent to have any hope of regaining the trust of local people.
I would not be surprised if the "whispers" are correct.
Muhammed Butt will try to keep his role as Labour Group Leader, despite the clear indication from Brent voters that they've had enough of his fourteen years in power. If he manages to do that, he needs some extra councillors to vote for him to continue as Council Leader for another FOUR YEARS!
In that situation, he will try to use the eleven seats each for the Conservatives and Lib Dems to his advantage. He would definitely not want Anton Georgiou as the Official Leader of the Opposition on the Council (he was the most effective opponent to Butt's abuses of power from 2022 to 2024). So I suspect that he will offer the Opposition Leader role to the Conservatives, in return for their support (or at least abstention) in the vote for Council Leader at the Council's Annual Meeting next week.
He did something similar during the 2014-2018 Council, when the opposition Conservatives split into two groups of three councillors. Their ineffective Kenton Leader was given the post and perks of Official Leader of the Opposition, rather than the Brondesbury Park Conservative who might have actually tried to challenge Butt's actions.
The street curbs in South Kilburn are even worse than you saw on your walkabout here Anton. Permanent development zoned.
Think its true, Labour will easily cosy informal align with the Tories, as both apply Reform policies of exclusion and growing inequalities in Brent between its zones (the so called 'postcode lottery'/ 'postcode fix' or 'fixing what matters'/'not fixing what does not matter').
Reform with its billionaire backers and media cheerleaders is headed for national government, Labour 170 seat majority government is just holding the fort, SAD. Brent is starting to wake-up, but likely too late in the day. Leaving ECHR is more about AI and its social devastation pending. Don't you wish you lived in a fully prepped and protected amplified welfare state public services infrastructured conservation area zone of C21 Brave New Brent.
Some form of opposition arrangement where leadership of the council could be taken away from Labour would be good - even if it's a very loose agreement.
Congrats to Anton and the LDs .. Its a real shame that there is just not quite enough seats to overrule Labour.. even if Greens and LDs join forces..
Anton worked his absolute socks off running the campaign and didn’t it pay off. He will be brilliant. (And Mo will be even more hissy)
If the Conservatives really care about change in the Borough they should offer tacit support to a LD-Green administration forming rather and kick Butt out. Forces collaboration on key issues.
Brent Green Kilburn has interesting ward borough boundary dynamics going on now. When it was all Labour wards joining cross borough boundaries, an inability to cross boundary co-operate and to share. People don't live these Labour enforced urban boundaries.
Now, Liberal Democrats in Brent QP, Labour in Westminster QP and Maida Vale, while Camden Kilburn is blue, orange and red one of each. Hard borough borders continuity, it's not one parties decision anymore at least. Greens lead Kilburn Growth Town these days, the next centre south is Oxford Street! Wake-up exclusionary Brent.
Brent needs an economic policy with so much good growth adjacent to its bad growth exclusion fix.
Id rather Greens Lib Dems and tories in a supply agreemeeng than labour in charge
Under the constitution and standing orders, I don’t think he can do that. Choose the official opposition I mean.
Under Cllr Butt's Leadership the Labour Group has just lost 23 Councillors in the local election last week leaving them with just 26.
Labour MPs seem to think that Keir Starmer is a failure and as at this point 70 have called for his resignation.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c1m2e4nl1z1t
Why are Labour Councillors in Brent such chickens and none of them is brave enough to come out and demand the resignation of the man who has led them to such a massive defeat?
Cllr M Butt no longer has the mandate to remain as Leader of Brent Council. The residents of Brent do NOT want him and he should do the decent thing and resign.
Clearly no-one in Kilburn can expect anything from the Lib Dems, since they couldn't be bothered to come to the hustings.
Kilburn needs a town council like Queens Park
Voters had enough of Labour Councillors who didn't have the integrity to stand up to Butt and didn't respond to residents either.
Adjacent i.e. neighbouring boroughs of good growth.
So many votes available in the Brent zones where the councillors do not and will not represent.
How will changing Labour leader change a hollowed out party that can't get out of the conservation areas, neighbourhood plan areas and the shires many wants?
Developers will be political diversifying to keep power.
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