Hounslow Conservatives Rocked by Defection
Kuldeep Tak crosses to Labour during council meeting
Cllr Kuldeep Tak
May 30, 2024
The Conservative group on Hounslow Council has been reduced to eight councillors following the defection of Kuldeep Tak.
The representative of the Feltham North ward crossed to Labour during the council’s annual meeting this Tuesday (28 May).
Leader of Hounslow Council, Cllr Shantanu Rajawat announced the news in the Chamber, and it was apparent that Conservative councillors were unaware of their former colleague’s intentions.
Cllr Tak had been the Conservative pick for membership of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Leader of the Conservative Group moved to withdraw the nomination but political proportionality rules means that his party will not see its representation on this committee reduced.
Cllr Tak won one of the seats in his ward in a tightly contested vote in May 2022 with Labour taking the other two. He is a graduate of Maharshi Dayanand University and works as an IT consultant.
He said, “It is an honour to join the Labour Party here in Hounslow and I have already been warmly welcomed by my new colleagues. Although this has been a difficult decision, it is the right one. My commitment to my country and to my residents in my ward override my commitment to the Conservative Party, and I know that Hounslow Labour’s vision and value for the borough are the way forward.
“I look forward to continuing to work hard for all the residents in Feltham North and, in doing so, be able to contribute in a positive way to the future of the Borough.”
Cllr Rajawat said, “I am extremely proud that Councillor Kuldeep Tak has taken the bold step and joined the Labour Party, and our Hounslow Labour family. He is a hardworking advocate for the residents Feltham North Ward and the borough, which is why I know he will fit in exceptionally well in our Labour Group. I have discussed at length our plans with Councillor Tak and he agrees with our vision for the borough, and I very much look forward to working with him and all of our Hounslow Labour Councillors in achieving this for our residents.”
A spokesperson for the Conservative Group said, “Residents in Feltham North have voted for a Conservative representative on Hounslow Council twice in four years - if Cllr Tak believes the views of his constituents have changed, he should do the right thing and let them have a say by standing down and calling a by election.”
The switch means that all but one of the remaining Conservative councillors represent Chiswick wards with Cllr Joanna Biddolph still sitting as an independent during her suspension from the party.
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