Labour reduced to wafer thin majority after councillor defects to Conservatives

A councillor elected for Labour has defected to the Conservatives, citing ‘stagnation, security and Sadiq’ in an attack at the Mayor of London.

Paul Fisher, who has represented West End ward since 2022, has crossed the floor leaving Labour on a slender majority of two, with just 28 councillors to the Tories 26.

One more defection or by-election defeat for Labour would see the council deadlocked at 27 seats apiece.

Councillor Fisher said concerns over borrowing by central government had led him to consider changing sides as early as last July, following the General Election.

He wrote on X: “It’s a pleasure to join @paulswaddle @voteTimBarnes and the Westminster Conservative team here in the heart of our great Capital. Excited to continue working for residents and get stuck in with the Conservative Party.”

Councillor Fisher’s defection leaves West End ward with just one remaining Labour councillor, after Conservative Tim Barnes successfully gained a seat back from Labour in a by-election in February triggered by the departure of Jessica Toale – who became the MP for Bournemouth East last year.

A by-election in Vincent Square following the death of Gillian Arrindell also saw Labour drop a seat to the Tories, while Reform UK took nearly 10 per cent of the vote.

Hitting out at Sir Sadiq Khan, the barrister told the Standard that the Mayor was more interested in ‘vanity projects’ such as pedestrianising Oxford Street than tackling crime rates.

He said: ‘The Conservative Party in Westminster has shown me they are listening and they have a passion for finding pragmatic answers to problems of our City.’

Council leader Adam Hug said he was ‘deeply disappointed’ at Councillor Fisher’s decision to leave the party, adding the local authority would continue to ‘stand up for local residents whilst growing the local economy and improving the performance of our services’.