One of Barking and Dagenham’s three new Green councillors has said he wants to work with his former colleagues – after leaving the Labour Party last week.
But Labour deputy council leader Saima Ashraf accused the three of acting out of “vanity” and “self-interest”.
Speaking on Wednesday 24 September to the council’s assembly – its meeting of all councillors – Green opposition leader Moin Quadri said he would “like to work with every councillor”.
Cllr Quadri said: “We’d like to make sure that we work together so that we can give better services for the residents of Barking and Dagenham, no matter what political belief or ethos, we will prioritise our residents.”
He added: “Our priority will be a green agenda.”
Cllr Quadri and councillors Victoria Hornby and Faruk Choudhury moved from Labour to the Greens on Monday 15 September.
In a statement the three councillors criticised Labour’s record on the council and in national government. They said: “Roads are unsafe, waste collection unreliable, housing neglected, and crime and antisocial behaviour are rising.”
Credit: Barking, Dagenham and Havering Green Party
The three also said that on a national level, Labour had “abandoned its moral compass” on issues such as Israel’s war on Gaza, benefits cuts, the cost of living crisis and by “adopting divisive anti-immigration rhetoric”.
But speaking to the assembly yesterday, Cllr Ashraf said she was “surprised” the three had joined the Greens after being Labour councillors “for many years”.
Cllr Ashraf said: “I can’t help but wonder whether the local Green Party truly welcomes their new councillors.
“They were knocking on doors against the Green candidate in the Thames View by-election over the summer.
“I would argue it is them who have abandoned those who elected them to serve as Labour councillors.”
She added: “Those on our side of the chamber welcome the challenge and say, bring it on.”
Cllr Ashraf also said the three had only decided to join the Greens after failing to be reselected to stand again for Labour in local elections next year. She said: “These councillors did not make the cut to stand as Labour candidates in 2026. They failed to meet standards we expect from our elected representatives.
“Instead of doing the decent thing, their self interest led them to leave the Labour Party and find anyone else that would take them.”
She added: “Whichever way they try to spin their story, this is not about values, it’s about vanity.”
Green councillor Faruk Choudhury told the Local Democracy Reporting Service last week that Labour’s selection process had been “unfair.” He said he had been “serving the community” as a councillor since 2014, but that he was asked to describe “more achievements” during his reselection interview.
Cllr Choudhury also said there was “no freedom of speech” in the local party and that he and the others had been “targeted” during the selection process.
