Getting Back to the Joys and Frustrations of Everyday Politics
Brentford West councillor Guy Lambert reports back
Brentford West councillor Guy Lambert
May 29, 2026
A friend of mine suggested that I should consider the idea of 'burnt out'. She has actually written books about that, but I don't think it applies to me. But I am a little 'worn out' at present.
The campaign was over several months and quite intense, getting to know how a new party works, getting to know new people whilst at the same time old friends being critical of my new party. Trying also to keep strong relationships to the many Labour councillors who have been my friends often for years, and many of whom I still regard as excellent people and councillors.
In the middle of all that I had an episode with hospitals, and also have been a victim of a long-lasting cough virus.
I'd like a holiday but that will have to wait for a bit as there is stuff at the council (including the added responsibility of being a party leader - yes, only 3 of us but including two completely Green (in more than one way!) comrades.
Delighted to be back on Planning from which I was banished in the Shantanu Revolution of 2022 and good to see good local representation - Katherine Dunne and Dan Bowring from Syon Ward, Craig Owen my ward partner - why he is regarded as suitable to be vice-chair with zero experience of planning but it attracts an allowance of probably £6K - Mike Denniss who may be a Tory but lives in Syon like me. Also Tony Louki: I used to describe him as a member of the awkward squad with me, John Todd (now retired and will be greatly missed) and Mel Collins (also retired and greatly missed). John didn't like that description, but the 4 of us made our own minds up, asked awkward questions and were prepared to go against officers (and political leaders!) when required. I hope Tony is back to his previous form rather than being there as Chief Whip, glaring at his Labour councillors to persuade them to conform to the Leader's instructions as was I think the more recent approach in planning , where not a single application has been refused or deferred in 2 years.
I had put some energy in securing our preferred roles for us Greens on committees and Scrutiny panels. I was upset that the original appointments were decided with no consultation with me or my Green colleagues. This was remedied by the member services team and with a helpful agreement from our single Liberal Democratic councillor.
As I mentioned I have had a nasty cough for some weeks and Docs didn't seem to know what it was until yesterday when my GP said "Oh it’s that bad virus many people have, It lasts for several months" That was actually reassuring because it is 'just' a virus so not something more worrying. However, I am having all sorts of tests and so on, related to being older than I once was (though still young and naive at heart!)
On Friday I had been offered a boat trip by my ex, who has leased a boat in Walton. For various reasons (mainly when she sat on the driving seat it fell to the floor!) we had a nice walk and pub lunch instead. Still with my pal from Vienna who left Bethnal Green 45 years ago. He has become more eccentric over the years and his favourite hobby is feeding crows. He was not very impressed by this corvid with a chip, which is not on his favourite diet list (he prefers cashew nuts) but this was some excellent and very green recycling of an excessive chip shop meal.
Sunday the morning was at W Middlesex where they lay me down whilst a paramedic put an echo sounder on my heart. A feller needs a drink after that so I had a few at my colleague Rick's birthday party at his lovely house on Strand-on-the-Green. No pics of that - I am slipping. No attacks that day from the local Tories!
Oh, I forgot. In Rick's garden I discovered this very rare tree species
That is the little-known Samoan Bogbrush tree. There are no less than 6 of the blighters in this picture, no doubt coming to a bathroom near you very soon.
Personally I prefer the Florida version
On Monday I attended the Makers Market which was as fascinating as it always is, but it seemed Goliath had been going for a swim and got his legs caught,
So the bank holiday weekend is behind us, and the next excitement (low bar) is the Annual Meeting of the Council.
This was a rather weird version because it is no longer nearly all Labour with a few Conservatives and convicts like me. But now there are only 32 Labour members with 17 Conservatives, 8 Reforms, 3 Greens I Lib Dem and 1 Theo. Those who are good at maths, you will see that the majority, 42 a few years ago, is now a very slender 2. There was a lot of utter nonsense about about 3 or perhaps 5 Labour members discovering their inner Conservatism like Vickram Grewal but of course that turned out to be cobblers. Money talks as the old story goes. I haven't done the sums but I reckon every one of the Labour faithful, dedicated to serving the less fortunate, will have a Special Allowance - after all, all except about 5 had one when there were 52 of them!
Nobody believes that this administration is long for this earth. If a Labour councillor gives up (like Balraj) or gets persecuted (like Lara or Amrit or me) or just one Labour member realises they have richer pickings as a Conservative or a Reformer (doesn't work with Green because we don't want Special Allowances) the administration is toast. They would struggle to win a by-election anywhere.
So to the votes. First for the leader. Labour a rock solid in favour of him. Everybody else is rock solid trying to get rid of him. They fail by a vote or two, entirely predictable.
So we come to the Mayor. We had a lengthy discussion amongst us Greens. I was in favour of Mike Denniss. Yes he is a Tory, but I have known him for years. He has always been quite noble and would make a decent mayor. One of us favoured abstaining. One of us favoured supporting the Conservative turned Labour Ranjit. Another said we must never vote Conservative as we will be excommunicated from the Church of Green. I said OK - we have different views. Selection of the Mayor is purely ceremonial anyway - no politics involved, so let's all abstain. We agreed. When we went into the Council meeting we reaffirmed our plan. I went to see Mike and told him I would abstain. Disappointing for him I'm sure but I had never promised anything else.
For reasons I find quite odd, I had been sat by the officers in a different place to my two colleagues, and sat by the leader of Reform which felt a bit weird. The vote came: I put my hand up to abstain as we had all agreed. I turned round and saw my two colleagues had changed to supporting Ranjit. Not of much importance (either will be a decent mayor) but I was livid about the disloyalty and unjustified change of mind. I told my colleagues what I thought of them, and their reasons, which were more about naivete than rebellion.
Then came the area forums. there had been no warning that these would be decided by nominations (I had not known the process because they had always been a non-event anywhere in the borough - Tory in Chiswick, Labour everywhere else. Chairs and vice chairs awarded a wad of cash by their leader to ensure their compliance. I had discussed Heston, where 9 Labour had become 4 Labour with 4 Cons and 1 Green, They are with Cranford (3 more Labour forever, but now 1 Lab and 2 Cons). But Labour had a cunning plan: nominate the single Green, use their overall vote to get her in and stick 2 fingers up to Conservatives. They were realistic enough to do this only with the vice chair. I was delighted, because Heston deserves a wake-up call, and Jasmine, who at heart is more of a community person than a politician, will provide that wake up, and follow through to provide 3 meals a day of improved democracy and a better town.
Next was Chiswick. The maths are different - 7 Cons, 1 Labour and 1 Green who had deposed the Conservative leader. Rick is a live wire - young, great communicator, ambitious and very smart. Labour manufactured for him to be working alongside the Conservative Ron Mushiso. I know the Labour Politburo's mentality: aha - put two live wires against each other. Ron is famous for extravagant speeches and equally extravagant ideas. They think Rick is similar. How wrong they are. Yes, Rick is colourful, but he has great intellect, great political nous, and is a young man on the way to a starring career. It will be fun to watch how that plays out!
Yes, I know. I rarely prattle on about Politics like this, but this is new territory for all of us. Absurd allegations against us Greens that we are following the money. At least 2 of the 3 of us have already said we will donate any extra allowances to charity or our penurious party (1/50th as much donation income as the Conservatives, 1/60th as much as Reform even before Farage's £5M birthday present). The allegations are so absurd it makes me aghast at how hopeless they all are.
Wednesday inevitably follows Tuesday and I needed a lazy day. Cycling home at lunchtime there was chaos on the High Street outside my home down Pump Alley. A cyclist had been in a collision with a car exiting Pump Alley. He was lying in the middle of the High Street, but was conscious and speaking, actually apparently doing a video interview with a guy who was crouching over him. I knew that junction was hazardous and should have protested more about the design. Hard to see cyclists coming down the hill into Brentford because there is poor visibility towards Kew Bridge. Have raised it now and transport experts need to improve it. I hope the victim recovers well and quickly.
Thursday was busy though. Unused election stuff taken in my car to Townmead Avenue in Kew for my 12 o'clock slot. All very smooth, as it always is now with the booking system (there were often terrible queues before!). Then a woman resident I met in the Spire Cafe. She has terrible problems with what seems to be a very dodgy management agent which has cost her 10s of thousand pounds.
Then a Brentford Heritage Harbour update. I am the most condemnatory about this shocking failure of the council, though at present there is not much to be done, until the Administrators release their report on the bankrupt developer. We should have that next month and we will know what's next. A strong team now working for the community and our goal to be London’s first Heritage Harbour and all the kudos and activity it could bring to our river.
That's me, Half past ten on Thursday night and another difficult day tomorrow.
I hope that wasn't too boring, By the way, my 'Strategic Brentford Issue Tracker is now up in a different place on my Blog site guylambert.blog. Glad to see a few have read it but no comments yet. Hope to get all Brentford Councillors and a lot of residents engaged – time will tell!
Councillor Guy Lambert
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