A Labour deputy mayor has defected to the Greens. Ouch.

Another week, and another headache for Keir Starmer. This time, a Labour deputy mayor has switched to the Green Party. And her parting comments sum up the whole, sorry mess Starmer’s Labour is in.

Switch

Lorna Russell is Camden’s deputy mayor. She’s also a councillor for Fortune Green ward. The public elected Russell in 2014, and the council made her deputy mayor in May. As the Camden New Journal first reported, just five months into the job, though, and she’s had it with Starmer’s Labour Party. So, on Wednesday night, she announced she was switching to the Greens.

Russell said in a letter published in the Camden New Journal:

This is something that has been weighing on my mind for some time and, after a significant period of self-reflection, I have come to the realisation that I am better able to represent my community as a Green Party councillor.

She also noted that:

I have always been guided by my core values of social justice, equality, and environmentalism, but I now see that these align most closely with the Green Party. I am proud to now represent a party that believes in building a truly fairer society and protecting the planet for future generations.

Russell made some parting shots at Labour.

Labour: ‘breaking fundamental promises’

She wrote:

I have been extremely disappointed by the Labour Party in recent years.

Nationally, I am concerned that the party lacks a coherent vision for the future, that it is prepared to break fundamental promises like those on common ownership and freedom of movement, and that it has a questionable track record on equalities.

Locally too, while I have worked hard to stand up for the community in Fortune Green, I recognise that many of the issues concerning residents in the ward have become worse, not better, over the past few months and years.

Obviously, the Greens are overjoyed at the defection. Councillor and former London mayor candidate Sian Berry told the Camden New Journal that Russell:

has always shown a huge passion for speaking up for ideas to solve environmental and social problems, and has been a fantastic and hardworking ward councillor too.

Meanwhile, the story has barely made a ripple in the corporate press.

Silence

As SKWAWKBOX reported, only BBC News has mentioned it, and then only in its “local” section. SKWAWKBOX said that if this had happened under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership there would have been a “feeding frenzy” in the corporate press. As Novara Media‘s Aaron Bastani tweeted:

The deputy mayor of the council where Keir Starmer’s seat is has switched from Labour to the Greens.

If that happened during the Corbyn leadership you could expect a week of talk radio shows, James O’Brien having a televised aneurysm & a panorama investigation.

— Aaron Bastani (@AaronBastani) October 14, 2021

Guardian would be live blogging all day today. "Top councillor defects – as it happens"

— Aaron Bastani (@AaronBastani) October 14, 2021

The Camden New Journal noted that Russell’s defection isn’t a one-off. It reported that nationally she’s the seventh councillor to switch to the Greens so far this year.

So, with Labour stagnating in the polls, losing a by-election to the SNP on Thursday 14 October, and Russell’s defection, Starmer’s chaotic tenure continues. How long it lasts is anyone’s guess.

Featured image via Sky News – YouTube

Comments 3

nellykskelly says:

5 years ago

I guess UKIP was fully booked, no point jumping into bed with CO-TORIES, The Conservatives or Neoliberal Anti-Democrats, it needed to be this way or that, to have any sort of an impact.
However Keef, your next PM can have anything happen to him, do anything outrageous or painfully dull and he will be safe. The Omnilateral Commission spoke and Keef is the chosen one, however you vote!
Of course we could secure our votes by sending 3 opposing MPs to Escourt the ballot boxes on their little 22:00 solo drive! As well as a few other simple changes here and there and an Overseeing Commission, or Two, to oversee the Electorate Commission.

stangya_sorensa says:

5 years ago

You’re losing MPs faster tham an incompetent boxer loses teeth! Starmer! At this rate you’ll have nobody to accompany you to all those Tory Party country house orgies that you like going to!

- nellykskelly says:
  
  5 years ago
  
  Wah haha haha!
  I seriously think that this we have no choice, that was taken by the Starmersstruppen in Dec 2019!
  We all knew then and all know now that there are only 1 of 2 Parties that can win the GE. No matter how much we want one of the new parties to win.
  If we plan and en masse vote out every Neo-New-Labour Party Parasite TORY MP/Candidate and vote in every UK Labour Party MP/Candidate, we could with a smaller but totally Parasite TORY free once again be the largest and most powerful Party in Europe. Sure a temporary reduced PLP but with a Powerful, Fearless, Undiluted, free from Sabotage, Undermining, Smearing, Lying, Conniving and Backstabbing we would still have the CLPs for every seat with Candidate s who actually serve their communities, Massive Members Base to help them achieve a seat in the following GE, The De-Torified Unions. We could do that but can we still unite in any way shape or form or has the ‘Unilateral Commission’ split us into too many different Pitchfork People and Torch People to Unite?
  Then of course there is securing the ballot box on it’s 22:00 joy ride with one stranger alone in their own private car. No Escourts, no Security, just one volunteer returning officer, with our votes in his/her boot, whatever could go wrong?