London Labour Councillors Join Green Party Due to Starmer's Policies Before May Elections

Over a dozen Labour councillors in London have switched to the Green Party since September 2025. This is a significant number, showing growing unrest within Labour.
By Newsroom | Politics, London |

A notable trend of London-based Labour councillors leaving the party to join the Green Party has been observed, particularly in the period leading up to May's local elections. These defections have been attributed by some departing councillors to a perceived rightward shift within the Labour Party under Keir Starmer's leadership, a departure from historical values, and concerns over internal party culture and financial management. The Green Party has actively welcomed these councillors, seeing it as a reflection of broader discontent with Labour nationally.

Context of Defections

Multiple reports indicate a pattern of Labour councillors in London switching to the Green Party. These departures span various London boroughs, including Barking and Dagenham, Hammersmith & Fulham, and Brent.

Another senior London Labour councillor joins Greens as wave of defections from Keir Starmer's party continues - 1

  • September 2025: Three Labour councillors in Barking and Dagenham joined the Green Party.

  • July 2025: Two Labour councillors, Cllr Trey Campbell-Simon and Cllr Liz Collins, resigned from Labour and joined the Green Party in Hammersmith & Fulham. They cited Keir Starmer’s rightward shift and concerns over Labour's stance on issues like the two-child benefit cap, disability cuts, and immigration language.

  • November 2025: Former Lambeth Labour councillor Martin Abrams defected to the Greens.

  • December 2025: A significant event occurred with five Labour councillors from Brent Council joining the Green Party. These individuals included former cabinet member Harbi Farah and former whip Iman Ahmadi-Moghaddam.

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These defections have occurred alongside reported losses for Labour in London council by-elections and a decline in Labour's national membership figures since Keir Starmer became leader. The Green Party, under leader Zack Polanski, has seen its membership grow significantly during this period.

Evidence of Defections and Stated Reasons

Multiple sources confirm the movement of Labour councillors to the Green Party and provide accounts for their decisions.

Another senior London Labour councillor joins Greens as wave of defections from Keir Starmer's party continues - 2

  • Article 1 & 5: Report Martin Abrams' defection from Lambeth to the Greens in September, linking it to the broader wave of departures. They also mention the July defections of Trey Campbell-Simon and Liz Collins from Hammersmith & Fulham to the Greens, citing Starmer's "rightward shift."

  • Article 3: Explicitly states that Cllrs Trey Campbell-Simon and Liz Collins joined the Green Party due to Keir Starmer’s rightward shift, a perceived "toxic culture of control" within the local Labour group, and opposition to Labour's policies on the two-child benefit cap, disability cuts, and immigration. The article positions the Green Party as the sole advocate for "equality and injustices in society."

  • Article 2 & 4: Detail the departure of five councillors from Brent Council to the Green Party in December. These councillors are identified as Harbi Farah, Mary Mitchell, Iman Ahmadi Moghaddam, Tony Ethapemi, and Erica Gbajumo. Tony Ethapemi is quoted stating, "I left the Labour Party because the party is no longer the party I joined over 25 years ago." Mary Mitchell added, "The Labour Party has left the values that I stand for, and what the party historically has stood for and achieved." Article 4 notes a Labour spokesperson's assertion that most of these councillors were not eligible to be part of the Labour party.

  • Article 6: Notes that Labour has experienced "more than a dozen" local politicians joining other parties, with the Brent defections being the largest mass move to the Greens seen so far. It also highlights a surge in Green Party membership (to over 180,000) compared to Labour's reported decline (below 250,000).

  • Article 7: Mentions Green Party leader Zack Polanski's statement about being ready to "bury" Labour and notes the growth in Green Party membership. It reiterates the Brent defections, identifying Harbi Farah as a former cabinet member and Iman Ahmadi-Moghaddam as a former whip.

Emerging Themes from Defections

The reasons provided by defecting councillors and commentary from the Green Party highlight several recurring themes:

Perceived Rightward Shift in Labour

Several councillors have explicitly linked their departure to a change in Labour's political direction under Keir Starmer.

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Another senior London Labour councillor joins Greens as wave of defections from Keir Starmer's party continues - 3

  • Article 3: States Cllrs Trey Campbell-Simon and Liz Collins cited "Keir Starmer’s rightward shift" as a primary reason for joining the Green Party.

  • Article 2: Tony Ethapemi expressed that the Labour Party is "no longer the party I joined over 25 years ago," and Mary Mitchell felt the party had "left the values that I stand for." While not directly naming Starmer, these sentiments align with a perception of fundamental change within the party's ethos.

Discontent with Party Culture and Policies

Beyond the broad ideological shift, specific policy decisions and internal dynamics are also cited.

  • Article 3: Mentions a "toxic culture of control" within the local Labour group in Hammersmith & Fulham. Additionally, Labour's refusal to scrap the two-child benefit cap, proposed disability cuts, and "increasingly hardline language on immigration" were cited as concerns.

  • Article 5: Briefly mentions "financial mismanagement" as a reason for one defection, though this is not elaborated upon in other provided articles.

Green Party's Positioning and Gains

The Green Party has positioned itself as a beneficiary of this discontent, actively welcoming defectors and highlighting its own growth.

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Another senior London Labour councillor joins Greens as wave of defections from Keir Starmer's party continues - 4

  • Article 3: Declares the Green Party is "now the only left wing party" and the sole party standing up for "equality and injustices."

  • Article 5 & 6: Note that the Green Party has "accepted most of the disillusioned Labour councillors" and that the recent defections represent the "largest mass defection of its kind" to the party.

  • Article 7: Quotes Zack Polanski expressing readiness to "bury" Labour, suggesting confidence in their electoral prospects stemming from Labour's challenges.

Labour Party's Response and Internal Concerns

The Labour Party has offered counterpoints to some of the defections, suggesting that not all departing councillors met party membership criteria.

  • Article 4: A Labour spokesperson stated that "most of the councillors were not eligible to be part of the Labour party." This suggests that some departures might stem from internal eligibility issues rather than solely political disagreement.

  • Article 1: Mentions that the Lambeth Labour Party ordered a result to be quashed due to breaches of party rules, following Martin Abrams' defection. This indicates potential internal disciplinary actions or disputes related to councillor conduct.

Conclusion and Implications

The sustained wave of defections from London Labour to the Green Party suggests a significant level of internal dissatisfaction within Labour ranks, particularly concerning its perceived ideological direction and specific policy stances. The Green Party is leveraging this trend to expand its presence, especially in London, ahead of local elections. While Labour officials point to eligibility issues for some defectors, the consistent messaging from departing councillors about ideological drift and values presents a clear challenge to Keir Starmer's leadership. The impact of these defections on Labour's electoral performance in London remains a key development to monitor.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why are Labour councillors in London joining the Green Party?
Several Labour councillors in London have left the Labour Party to join the Green Party. They say they are unhappy with Keir Starmer's leadership and a perceived shift to the right in the party. They also mention concerns about party culture and specific policies.
Q: Which London boroughs have seen Labour councillors defect to the Green Party?
Labour councillors have left the party to join the Greens in areas like Barking and Dagenham, Hammersmith & Fulham, Brent, and Lambeth. The largest group, five councillors, left Brent Council in December 2025.
Q: What specific reasons did the defecting councillors give for leaving Labour?
Councillors mentioned Keir Starmer's "rightward shift," concerns about Labour's stance on the two-child benefit cap, disability cuts, and immigration language. Some also spoke of a "toxic culture of control" and feeling the party no longer represents their values.
Q: How has the Green Party responded to these defections?
The Green Party has welcomed the defecting councillors and sees this as a sign of people's unhappiness with Labour. The Green Party's membership has grown significantly during this period, with their leader saying they are ready to challenge Labour.
Q: What has the Labour Party said about these councillors leaving?
A Labour spokesperson suggested that many of the councillors who left were not eligible to be part of the Labour Party. This implies some departures might be due to internal party rules rather than just political disagreement.