Chiswick Conservative councillor Ranjit Gill crosses to Labour

Image: Cllr Ranjit Gill at tonight’s Borough Council meeting

Cllr Gill cites “disunity” in the Conservative party as his reason for changing sides

Cllr Ranjit Gill, who has been a Conservative councillor in Chiswick since 2018, has crossed the floor and joined the Labour Party group on Hounslow Council.

It was announced at tonight’s meeting of the Borough Council, the annual meeting at which the Cabinet is confirmed for the coming year, and the new Mayor is chosen. Cllr Gill is the second Conservative councillor to defect to Labour. Cllr Kuldeep Tak, Councillor for Feltham North, also defected last year.

Cllr Gill told The Chiswick Calendar he had made the decision due to the “disunity” in the Conservative party locally, which, he said, is “more like a club than a political party”.

He said it had “been on the cards for some time”.

Image: Cllr Gill with Conservative colleagues Ron Mushiso and Joanna Biddolph, campaigning for election in May 2018

Letter to residents

In an open letter to residents, published this evening, he said:

“Over two terms as a Councillor, I’ve worked hard for the people of Chiswick and Hounslow. But the internal divisions within the Conservative group have made it harder to do what really matters – getting things done for local residents.

“Unfortunately, not all members are treated equally or given the opportunity to contribute fully. Despite talk of unity, the reality has often been disheartening. In contrast, I’ve found the Labour administration open, helpful, and genuinely focused on solutions.”

It was clear in recent months that he was becoming dissatisfied.

He clashed with his fellow ward councillor Joanna Biddolph over the deal he brokered with Birchgrove, the new owners of the old police station in the centre of Chiswick.

Ranjit persuaded them to give the police a base from which to operate, and space to store their belongings safely when the building is developed into rental accommodation for older people.

He supported the Birchgrove development at the Planning Committee stage, saying: “I think it’s really great for Chiswick”, while Cllr Biddolph opposed it.

READ ALSO: Police offered a base in the old police station in Chiswick

READ ALSO: Old police station development in Chiswick approved by Hounslow Council’s Planning Committee

Image: Ranjit with Ron and Joanna at the election count in May 2022 after their re-election

Ranjit also said he felt unsupported over the introduction of the rainbow crossing.

He was its chief supporter within the Council, working with Aubrey Crawley of the West London Queer Project and Ollie Saunders, one of the directors of the Chiswick Flower Market, to get it installed.

READ ALSO: Famous faces join opening of ‘Rainbow Junction’ on Chiswick High Rd

He told The Chiswick Calendar tonight he had also disagreed with Cllr Biddolph over the issue of parking places for the Chiswick Flower Market’s vans.

His other ward colleague Cllr Ron Mushiso and Cllr Jack Emsley, who represents Chiswick Homefields ward, both spoke in support of the market at the Licensing Panel when it was required to renew its licence recently, and both wrote to the Parking officer to ask him to change his mind about his decision to rescind their right to park their vans in Bond St car park.

Cllr Biddolph wrote to the Licensing Panel saying they should not be allowed to park there.

READ ALSO: Chiswick Flower Market loses right to park vans in Bond St car park

READ ALSO: Chiswick councillor asks Hounslow’s parking officer to change “bizarre” decision on Chiswick Flower Market

The Parking officer has now changed his mind, after cross-party lobbying, and a conversation with the Council Leader, but they will charge the market to use the car park in future and make it available to the other markets on the same basis.

Image: Councillors gather with guests and members of the public after the Borough Council meeting at Hounslow House

Colleagues “shocked”

Ranjit’s  colleagues in the Conservative opposition group appeared to have been blindsided by the announcement at tonight’s Borough Council meeting.

Leader of the group, Cllr Peter Thompson, told me he was “shocked” and needed some time to process what had happened.

“I don’t know why Ranjit thought he had to do that.”

READ ALSO: Conservative leader ‘doesn’t recognise’ defecting councillor’s description of Tory group as “disunited”

Only two weeks ago he was seeking re-election as a Conservative councillor for the next election, Cllr Jack Emsley told me, and he was speaking out about the cuts in winter fuel allowance.

“He should have the courage of his convictions,” said Jack.

“A massive welcome” from Hounslow Council Leader Cllr Shantanu Rajawat

Image: Hounslow Council Leader Cllr Shantanu Rajawat (library picture)

Council Leader Cllr Shantanu Rajawat, not trying too hard not to look like the cat who’d got the cream, offered:

“A massive welcome to Ranjit on joining the Labour Party. Clearly he felt the divisiveness of Conservative doctrine was not for him and he wanted just to concentrate on helping residents.”

He described Ranjit as: “a dedicated Councillor who has put serving residents above silly squabbles and petty parochialism.

“We want to be an administration for every part of this borough. In Chiswick, that has meant investing in Chiswick’s culture and heritage, such as our partnership with Chiswick House.

“It means backing local businesses to the hilt and cutting red tape to allow the local markets to thrive. It includes brightening up our green spaces – such as the improvements we are making to Gingko Corner. And it means cracking down on crimes against our streets and communities, such as fly-tipping and antisocial behaviour.

“With Ranjit joining the Hounslow Labour team, we’ll be able to do all this and more – making sure that Chiswick voices are properly represented on the Council.”

Ranjit told The Chiswick Calendar the Labour Leader was “an excellent leader” had “always been helpful” to him and “listened really well.

“I can work with him,” he said.

Image: MP for Hammersmith & Chiswick Andy Slaughter

“A good day for Chiswick” says MP for Hammersmith & Chiswick Andy Slaughter

The MP for Hammersmith & Chiswick Andy Slaughter was also at the Borough Council meeting tonight. He told me:

“This is a good day for Chiswick. Ranjit has been a good servant for the community. He is now part of a strong and growing Labour team in Chiswick which is going to do a lot for Chiswick in years to come.”

Referring to the election at tonight’s meeting of Chiswick’s Labour councillor Amy Croft as Mayor of Hounslow for the coming year, he said:

“We now have a new Labour Chiswick Mayor. I will be working with both Ranjit and Amy to improve representation next year [in next year’s Borough Council elections].

“In the meantime, we will show that Chiswick is an important place in its own right, but it is also important as part of the borough, and we will work in a joined-up way for the whole borough.”

Read more stories on The Chiswick Calendar