Here I Am Again. Sorry. But Don't Blame Me
Brentford West councillor Guy Lambert reports back
Brentford West councillor Guy Lambert
May 14, 2026
Here I am again. Sorry. But don't blame me. You could have done the decent thing and put me and a lot of other people out their misery, but you insisted on voting for me to continue like Nigel Farage's hero Vladimir Putin into another term.
I did not get 99.8% of the votes as Vladimir and other political giants do in other highly democratic administrations like North Korea, but I have to say I was greatly heartened by winning with quite a comfortable margin above my main opponent - actually an old friend/comrade of mine - Craig Owen. I knew from the first time I plagued the doorsteps back in about January, it was Green against the traditionally dominant Labour candidates.
Disappointed that my new friend, Rashid Wahab didn't make it. He would make an excellent councillor but couldn't make it against Craig and the Labour machine. I suppose I should add that it is noticeable that having an Indian/subcontinent name appears to carry a vote penalty, even in what I think of as very tolerant Brentford, of at least 15%. Of course, Rashid was also alphabetically challenged by being the last name on a long voting sheet. You might find that an odd factor, but it is recognised amongst voting geeks. I did once consider changing my name to Aaron Aardvark but this turned out to be unnecessary. Of course if I turn further into Biden territory and stand again in 2030 I will consider it. But neither me nor the electorate are most unlikely to be so stupid.
Further reflections on the election: being at bottom an introvert, I don't particularly relish banging on people's doors and saying Vote for Me. But as always, when I actually do it, I am warmed by the reception I get, whether people are going to vote for me or against me. Almost everyone is courteous. Some really resent the interruption (after all - more than half of them don't vote for anyone) and of course that was more visible with 11 of us campaigning compared to the traditional 6 or 7. I received about 100 less votes than I did in 2022 but the total votes cast across the ward was up by 850, no doubt because of the extra options. At heart I believe in and cherish democracy, so this is good to see in these fractious times.
Talking of which: bar a short lasting (and very damaging) blip in 2006 this Borough has always been Labour. I wasn't paying much attention back then, but we are very close indeed to a similar outcome this year. At present, Labour has clung on to a tiny overall majority of 2 but there are rumours of some unprincipled people swapping sides on promises of well-paid and/or high prestige roles should they bring about a change in administration. Reports of unanimous support for Shantanu Rajawat as the leader amongst the Labour group are seriously exaggerated! I suppose we will know in time for the Annual meeting of the Council on 26th May. Whether Shan or someone else emerge as Leader, my ambition throughout this schemozzle has been to see a restoration of some semblance of democracy to what recently has been set aside to the disbenefit of administration, fairness, and local representation. That will almost certainly need regime change (as the current patois goes). Fortunately, I am not a betting man because I would likely lose my stake!
A little about the Green Party. We had no real idea what would happen and when people asked me how many councillors we would have I answered something between 0 and 26, because we had 26 candidates across the whole borough. We only really contested Brentford West, Chiswick Gunnersbury and Chiswick Riverside. Brentford West we knew we had a good chance in. Chiswick was very unlikely because we had zero history there and it was heavily targeted especially by Lab and Con. Well, we found a young, charismatic and very energetic candidate who lives in the Riverside ward. He was with a good ward partner and impressively won a seat, at the expense of the then leader of the Conservative group. Wowsers, as I am told young people say.
In Heston, Jasmine whom I have known for several years is at the heart of the Heston Action Group who do great things in Heston despite the indifference of the Labour councillors. There was an earthquake there. 9 Labour councillors became 4 Lab, 4 Conservatives and 1 Green, Jasmine. She didn't really start until about 3 weeks before the election, had very little support from a party with no local staff and very little money. She was top of the poll in her ward by a big margin, emphasising the anger against Labour there. The only Labour incumbent with a reasonable vote was Lily Bath, and Shantanu survived by the skin of his teeth. So I am, at least for now, the Green leader. Green is not a very leadery party but I am the only one with any history as a councillor and I have relationships with existing councillors and officers across the council. Our desire is to shake up the council radically - mainly its democratic and localist approach. It will be clearer in a couple of weeks.
Back to a truncated version of the usual fare served up in this rich restaurant of progressive thought known as my weekly blog. Rather uncharacteristically I failed to take a single picture of the Boston Manor Farmers Market. In fact, for the first time, there was actually a genuinely farmer's stall there but no farmer. Being old, my vison of a farmer is an old bloke with straw coming out of his ears, but I was told the farmer whose stuff was here was in labour (no, not Labour) and couldn't attend. I deduced that the farmer must be of the female persuasion and at least somewhat young. It was very busy, as was the previous market and Scott Illman was lurking outside polticking, as were the rest of us. I respect Scott for standing. He did himself no harm and his presence graced the campaign (and the disgusting caricature of Shantanu I complained about last time was I suspect the work of a much more shady politician).
Talking of which, I am none the wiser about councillors' allowances donated to charity. There was a story aimed at me of court fees paid on behalf of someone whom I had abandoned. This was a mystery to me, because I don't abandon. A friend told me yesterday that this related to a resident from whom I was advised to steer clear by council officers after I had raised a case about his problem on the basis matters had been put to me misleadingly.
Special Responsibility Allowances for councillors do need a radical review because they are used to buy votes by the leaders from time to time, which is a corrupt use of public money in my opinion, and clearly do not match delivery of benefit to the council/borough/residents. There is no real duty upon councillors to actually do a job, beyond turning up for meetings twice a year. I will work to make that different in the Green Party. Throughout my time in a real professional/management job I was assessed against agreed objectives at least once a year. This helped to keep me in focus and helped me to develop my skills. In 11 years as a councillor the only review you get is at an election, and this rarely is much of a test (look at what has happened across Hounslow!)
Is this terribly tedious? Sorry. Sometimes I have to get things off my chest, especially as I have a bit of a cough at present 😁
We toiled through to the election day. If I'm honest, I was getting a bit worn out, having had a spell of illness and having the sense we had done all we could. We soldiered on and the election day itself was rather heartening. In the morning i tripped over a walking hazard in Hamilton Road, very nearly fell and saved myself by crashing into a wall and grazing a finger. There was a man coming towards me whom I recognised. He ensured I was OK and then said I'd better report that trip hazard because he was on his way out to vote for me. Good enough, and I reported it immediately. There was a lesson in that too. It is easy (when you're younger) to see trip hazards as exaggerated. I certainly did, especially when I saw the standards used by the council/Hounslow Highways which were set in conjunction with the Department for Transport or DfT (or DafT as Private Eye calls them). I am older than I once was, and tripping is more of an issue for older people whose balance is not what it once was and in many cases their bones less robust. Looks innocent, doesn't it?
But it nearly got me!
I had not spotted that the count was the next day, rather than through the night, but it meant most of the day at Twickenham. Brentford West was pretty obvious from mid morning that I was safe, but Rashid vulnerable to people who vote for me and someone else. We were impatient for an answer but for several hours the attention moved to the bigger room where more wards were being decided and I think they forgot us. I grumbled one of the senior officers and we had our result announced.
I and Labour's Craig had made it. A cruel old oppo of mine made a mean comment about both of our hairdo's which to fair, was not without merit. I had dug out my green jacket, not related to the Masters' Tournament, but was bought in Milan about 25 years ago. Made of linen, now too big for me due to recent reduction and never looking like it had been ironed in several years despite having been pressed that very morning. I probably need a new wardrobe but want to get to my target weight first - another 10Kg to depart to join the 40 odd Kgs already in the junk yard. I even need formal shirts that fit my new reduced neck!
Poor Rashid didn't quite make it.
In truth, he was not terribly upset and always said so self-effacingly throughout that his focus was supporting me. I could not have asked for a better partner, and it was a privilege to get to know him. A very genuine man, and with the charm and easy personality to especially engage all the women he talked to!
After this we decided to have a Green Drink to celebrate (then) 2 successes which became 3 successes very soon after. I have been going to Green Drinks at the Watermans Arms for years despite not being a Green member for most of the time so I said we should go there (it is right next to where I live, so better still!)
Here's a few of us (more joined later)
Monday was a day of rest for me, catching up with emails etc. Then on Tuesday I was in to Hounslow House for the formalities of signing up for the next 4 years. Head of member services ensured that I declared a membership I had previously not mentioned - Nationwide Building Society which I joined 20+ years ago to escape from Lloyds Bank. I have been assiduous in declaring various memberships which may have political impact (EG on one side the London Cycling Campaign and on the other the Jaguar Enthusiasts Club)
I had heard of hardly unexpected ructions in the Labour Group from various spies. My sense is the ructions are far from resolved despite the announcements that they are all collectively in love with each other with Special Allowance payments having nothing at all to do with it. Long standing friend Katherine Dunne was taken ill - thankfully temporarily - during the Labour Group meeting. She is someone who is widely respected and genuinely dedicated to the borough and the council, which cannot be said for far too many of her comrades.
But before Hounslow House I squeezed in an hour at the Steam Museum for the AGM of Speak Out in Hounslow.
The works put on by the Speak Out people are an unalloyed joy to watch. They are very dedicated to their performance and clearly having enormous fun performing, fun that spread to the audience where every person has a smile on their face.
Later I met a couple in Hounslow House who have trouble with immigration (from Australia 20+years ago) and housing, as well as health. They feel very insecure but have temporary accommodation and will be supported long term. They of course have to go through the trauma of temporary accommodation, but I am reassured they will get the result they deserve. It is easy to get frustrated with aspects of the council where the bureaucracy seems inappropriate. But sometimes I am seriously heartened by the dedication and care demonstrated by many officers, especially when the need is strong.
In the evening I picked up my pal from Heathrow. He emigrated to Vienna about 40 years ago and married an Austrian. Despite that we have remained close friends over all that time and have some fun together, often winding each other up, as best friends can do without rancour.
Wednesday night was a Brentford Voice meeting at the Lord Hamilton. Must ask if I owe them a membership fee - I'm sure I probably do. I had a very friendly welcome from those attending which made me feel good, but of course with that raucous crowd of rowdy youngsters I had trouble hearing anything much .
I could console myself with beer, sausages and chips.
With my pal staying with me for a few days I am semi on holiday, but I will soon be back in the swim with the day-to-day concerns and the long term ones. I have started my 'Strategic matters for Brentford' list which I will try to move forward, I hope in partnership with colleagues in Brentford, and I hope with a new approach from the council political leadership which has largely been entirely tin-eared for the last few years. My contract with myself is to be more ambitious for Brentford, and make more noise when it's needed.
And here's something nice. Here are the flower beds in Ferry Quays. Why can't the council do something much closer to this in our public areas? Lots of volunteers can help, but need to be properly supported and not discouraged by delays and bureaucracy.
Councillor Guy Lambert
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