Your Party Brent branch to consider standing against Barry Gardiner MP at next General Election following his vote to proscribe Palestine Action

 

Graham Durham - ex Brent councillor and ex-member of the Labour Party

 

 From Brent branch of Your Party

 

The Brent branch of the newly formed political party, temporarily  called Your Party, which was launched by Jeremy Corbyn MP and Zarah Sultana MP on 24 July 2025 has criticised Barry Gardiner, MP for Brent West, for his support of the classification of the peaceful non-violent campaign group, Palestine Action, as a terrorist organisation by the Labour government.

One of the local organisers of Your Party, former Brent Labour councillor  Graham Durham, said; 

 

On Saturday 9 August 532 peaceful protestors were arrested by police in Parliament Square.Their only offence was to hold a cardboard handwritten sign stating they opposed the Israeli genocide against Palestinians and supported Palestine Action. Amongst the arrested were  numerous members of the peaceful religious group The Society of Friends (Quakers ) and over half the arrests were of pensioners including 15 people over eighty years old. Charges under the Prevention of Terrorism Act are to be made against all arrested.

These charges against peaceful protestors opposing genocide by Israel are only possible because hundreds of Labour MPS voted on 2 July 2025 to proscribe the peaceful non-violent  group in an attempt to halt criticism of the Israeli genocide and the Labour Government complicity in continuing to sell arms and parts to the Israeli Defence Force. For Barry Gardiner MP for Brent West to be one of these MPs is an utter disgrace. Your Party alongside other organisations and international bodies will continue to campaign to end the arms sales and end the genocide, we will not be deterred by Barry Gardiner or Yvette Cooper who arrest us in an attempt to silence our voices.'

As Jeremy Corbyn said, 'These arrests  will go down as one of the most shameful moments in British legal history. No amount of suppression can hide the truth: our government is complicit in genocide'

Graham Durham added, 'As our party grows and organises we will consider standing against Gardiner and other supporters of this represssion at the next general election'

 

Barry Gardiner challenge to Government on Gaza: Show that you respect international rules-based order

There was a debate in Westminster Hall yesterday on Gaza and Humanitarian Aid instigated by one of the new Independent MPs,  Ayoub Khan (Birmingham Perry Barr), elected in the wake of the Gaza conflict.

Westminster Hall debates do not make policy but give MPs a chance to register their concerns.

This is Barry Gardiner's contribution from They Work for You

As politicians, we talk of the international rules-based system, by which we mean the World Trade Organisation and the United Nations, but often we do so only when it suits our position. When it does not, we ignore it. That is why it is crucial that we grasp the legal implications of the decision promulgated on 19 July this year by the International Court of Justice. It settled the law in its advisory opinion on the legality of Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory. The opinion came from a request by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2022, and I believe it carries immense weight. It is the interpretation of our world’s highest court of law as it relates to the occupation of Palestine.

The court ruled that the occupied Palestinian territory is to be considered a single territorial unit, which means that the failure to recognise Palestine as a state is now out of step with international law. On 10 September, Palestine took its seat at the 79th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations. It is not yet a full member, because it has been blocked by the United States, but it has the right to submit proposals and amendments. The Government of the UK still does not recognise the Palestinian state, and I believe that that is now incompatible with international law.

The court ruled that settlements and outposts in the west bank and East Jerusalem were unlawful. It does not matter that Israeli law considers settlements to be lawful; they are not, and they should be evacuated. The court ruled that Israel’s exploitation of natural resources in settled land was also unlawful. The court ruled that Israel occupied Gaza. It ruled that it occupied the west bank and East Jerusalem. It ruled that that occupation was unlawful. It ruled that the occupation must be brought to an end.

That also means that, in its actions, Israel must behave not as a warring nation state against another warring state, but as an occupying force, with all the obligations that entails about its conduct, including ensuring that aid can get through to all who need it. Israel ought to cease its unlawful activities, halt all new settlement activity and provide full reparation for the damage caused by its wrongful acts, which includes returning land, property and assets seized since the occupation began in 1967 and allowing displaced Palestinians to return to their original places of residence.

The court made it clear that other states also have obligations. It emphasised that all states are required not to recognise the illegal situation created by Israel’s actions in the occupied territories. That means that they should not engage in trade, investment or diplomatic relations that would entrench Israel’s unlawful presence. The advisory opinion is a landmark in the legal and political struggle over the fate of the Palestinian people and the integrity of international law. It highlights the obligations of all states, including the United Kingdom, to ensure that the rule of law prevails. We are all duty bound not only to act in the interests of justice and human rights, but to uphold the very principles of international law. That is the law. It is clear. It has been authoritatively stated by the court. What is not clear is whether Governments will abide by it. The law can state, the court can rule, but none of it brings about anything unless the power of enforcement lies behind it.

In the UK we are very fond of saying that we respect the international court and the international rules-based order. My challenge to the Minister is this: show it.

 

 

Brent General Election Results & Queens Park By-Election result. Shama Tatler loses in Chingford and Woodford Green

 

Dawn Butler (Brent East) and Barry Gardiner (Brent West) have been elected as Members of Parliament (MPs) after winning seats in yesterday's General Election.

The turnout for Brent East was 49.06% and the turnout for Brent West was 51.95%.”

Brent East

Dawn Butler, Labour Party, has been elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Brent East.

The results in order of votes for each candidate are:

• Dawn Butler, Labour Party (19,370 votes ELECTED)
• Jamila Robertson, Conservative Party (6,323 votes)
• Nida Alfulaij, Green Party (3,729 votes)
• Jonny Singh, Liberal Democrat (2,635 votes)
• Zbigniew Kowalczyk, Reform UK (2,024 votes)
• Aadil Shaikh, Independent (1,846 votes)
• James Mutimer, Workers Party (1,052 votes)
• Amin Moafi, Independent (654 votes)
• Jenner Clarence Joseph Folwell, Independent (169 votes)

Brent West

Barry Gardiner, Labour Party, has been elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Brent West.

The results in order of votes for each candidate are:

• Barry Strachan Gardiner, Labour Party (17,258 votes ELECTED)
• Sushil Gangadhar Rapatwar, Conservative Party (13,465 votes)
• Paul Lorber, Liberal Democrat (3,013 votes)
• Baston Anthony De’Medici-Jaguar, Green Party (2,805 votes)
• Nadia Klok, Workers Party (2,774 votes)
• Ian Collier, Reform UK (2,061 votes)

Queen’s Park and Maida Vale constituency

Turnout: 38,618

Total votes cast: 51.11%

Surname	First names	Party	Votes
Baxter	Helen June	Liberal Democrats	3,417
Carter - Begbie	Angela Michelle	Reform UK	2,106
Dharamsi	Abdulla Janmohamed	Independent	601
Gould	Georgia	Labour Party	20,126 (ELECTED)
Hersi	Samia	The Conservative Party	5,088
Lichtenstein	Vivien Aviva	Green Party	5,213
Menabde	Irakli	Workers Party	1,792

QUEENS PARK COUNCIL BY-ELECTION

Leslie Anne Smith, Labour Party (3,038 votes ELECTED)

Virginia Leslie Bonham Carter, Liberal Democrat  (1,462 votes)

Ricardo William Davies, Green Party (1,329 votes)

Emily Julia Sheffield,  Conservative Party (1,138 votes)

CHINGFORD AND WOODFORD GREEN

Of interest as Cllr Shama Tatler was standing after the removal of the Labour candidate. In the event just 79 votes separated Tatler and the former candidate Faiza Shaheen who stood as an independent. Tory Ian Duncan Smith held the seat.

SEE LINK 

 

Recording of Brent West General Election Hustings

A joint Brent and Harrow Palestine Solidarity Hustings amd Wembley Muslim Centre Hustings was held yesterday. Only the Green Party and Workers Party candidates accepted an invitation to attend. The Labour candidate, Barry Gardiner, provided a written statement that was read out.

Recordings below. 

Introduction https://youtu.be/0k16LRrQafo?si=Vp8RyeltAyyM8sv8

 

Questions https://youtu.be/aRjLZxH_c94?si=ZV51opzCQDeZe7_6

 

Further Questions https://youtu.be/NftLdUe49As?si=U978FsrGTnMmriOa

 

IJAN Perspective https://youtu.be/5jJBPTtJIRQ?si=I9sNVbdlYdrH85HA

 

Final list of candidates in Brent East and Brent West plus Queens Park by-election

BRENT EAST

Nida Alfulaij, Green Party candidate

Dawn Butler, Labour Party

Jenner Folwell, Independent

Zbigniew Kowalczyk, Reform UK

Amin Moafi, Independent

James Mutimer, Workers Party

Jamila Robertson, Conservative Party candidate

Aadil Shaikh, Independent

Jonny Singh, Liberal Democrat

 

BRENT WEST 

Ian Collier, Reform UK

Baston De'Medici Jaguar, Green Party candidate

Barry Gardiner, Labour

Nadia Klok, Workers Party

Paul Lorber, Liberal Democrat

Sushil Rapatwar, Conservative Party candidate

 

QUEEN'S PARK COUNCIL BY-ELECTION

Virginia Bonham Carter, Liberal Democrat

Ricardo Davies, Green Party

Emily Sheffield, Conservative Party

Lesley Smith, Labour Party

 

Final Boundary Commission constituences published. Brent wards will be covered by a total of 4 MPs. Brent East returns.

 

 

The Boundary Commission has published its final recommendations today. Brent East, formerly Ken Livingstone's seat, is back and largely covers the current Brent Central while Brent West covers the current Brent North.

Harlesden and Kensal Green,  Kilburn and Queens Park become the minority Brent wards in the Queens Park and Maida Vale constituency. The Camden side of Kilburn is in another constituency, Hampstead and Highgate.

Poor Queensbury, often seen as a bit semi-detached, is on its own in Harrow East.

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