This episode rather underlines why political parties should have no place in local government. The club comes first, everyone else is secondary, often to the detriment of communities. You get virtue signalling, point scoring and political posturing, while community assets get neglected and then sold off.The likelihood is that Guy Lambert won’t be selected as a Labour candidate at the next election. Parties insist that members are onside and toe the line. He did this while in cabinet, defending the indefensible, but now he’s a backbencher he’s become an embarrassment to Rajawat and anyone who has followed local politics in Hounslow will know that he tolerates zero opposition.Lambert could stand as an independent but it’s very difficult for anyone without party backing to win enough votes. As he says, pin a red rosette on a donkey and it would probably win. You don’t even have to bother doing anything once elected, if you know the right people (or at least some of their darker secrets), as one Brentford councillor so amply proves.What should worry residents all over London is just how unaccountable our local authorities have become. There’s very little scrutiny of decisions made. Politicians say one thing and do another, then tell further untruths to cover themselves, usually blaming anyone but the culprits when things turnout badly. Sadly the electorate buys it nearly every time.
Simon Hayes ● 33d