Finally, Wanstead turns red

It was a victorious night for Labour last week, securing a clean sweep across Wanstead - taking all five seats. The town has finally turned red.

The new political landscape sees Daniel Morgan Thomas, Jo Blackman and myself (Wanstead Village) joining incumbents Sheila Bain and Paul Merry, who were returned for Wanstead Park.

The bigger picture saw Labour sweeping away the Conservative Party across Redbridge, with former bastions of the party falling under the red wave. By the end of the night Labour had secured 15 gains, bringing its total number of councillors up to 51. Just 12 Conservatives were left standing.

The feeling amongst the candidates in Wanstead was that our message had really resonated with the local people. The prospect of the new swimming pool in Redbridge Lane West, continued efforts to improve the environment by addressing pollution, looking to increase recycling and promote sustainable ways of getting about really seemed to appeal.

It will not be easy an easy four years, with central government continuing to decimate local authority budgets. But everyone on the Labour team is determined that the borough will continue to move forward despite the adverse financial climate.

Personally, it is a great privelige after living in Wanstead all of my life. to now be able to serve local people on the council .I shall do my besst to stand up for people in  this part of Redbridge.

It is certainly a momentous result in what was Winston Churchill’s old constituency – finally the area has turned red.

Together with my fellow councillors Daniel Morgan Thomas, Jo Blackman, Sheila Bain and Paul Merry, we will be doing our best to keep improving Wanstead. 

* published Wanstead & Woodford Guardian - 10/5/2018