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London Labour has seen another defection as a veteran councillor became the latest to announce she was leaving the party. Former Lambeth Mayor Tina Valcarcel, who was first elected as a councillor in 2006, has joined the Liberal Democrats saying Labour is "no longer the party I joined". It follows a string of defections and defeats for Sir Keir Starmer’s party in the capital. Ms Valcarcel said: “Sadly, Lambeth Labour is no longer the party I joined. “I have been impressed by the integrity of the Liberal Democrat councillors in Lambeth, and their diligent work speaking up for their communities. “I share those values and will always put the views and interests of residents above party politics. I have been welcomed warmly by new Liberal Democrat colleagues and I look forward to serving with them.” Labour has been haemorrhaging councillors in the capital to the Lib Dems, Greens, Tories and independent parties for several months. Last week Rotherhithe councillor Kath Whittam defected to the Southwark Green Party, becoming the first Green member to sit on the council in 15 years. Lewisham councillor Liam Shrivastava and Haringey councillor Mark Blake over the summer blamed what they described as the Labour’s shift to the right under the Prime Minister for their defections to the Greens. Ex Lambeth Labour councillor Martin Abrams also defected to the Greens in September. He was suspended from Labour last year for supporting a Green motion calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Three Barking and Dagenham councillors formed the first political opposition to Labour in Barking and Dagenham in over a decade in September. Moin Quadri, Victoria Hornby and Faruk Choudhury said they had become uncomfortable with Labour “refusing to take a principled stand on Gaza” and “adopting divisive anti-immigration rhetoric" as they joined the Greens. Two Hammersmith and Fulham Labour councillors - Trey Campbell-Simon and Liz Collins - also resigned from Labour in July and joined the Greens, citing Sir Keir’s rightward shift. Westminster councillor Paul Fisher quit the party and joined the Conservatives, blaming London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan's Oxford Street pedestrianisation “vanity project”. While Jas Dhot last month left Hillingdon Labour to become a Tory member. Councillor Toby Benton, who represents Colville Ward in Kensington and Chelsea, joined the RBKC Independent Group last month. Labour has also lost several council by-elections in the capital since Sir Keir won a landslide general election victory last July. The Lib Dems stormed to victory in the poll for the West Hampstead seat on Camden Council in the Prime Minister’s backyard in August. Pro-Gaza Independents beat Labour in an east London council by-election amid grassroots anger at the Government in March. Noor Jahan Begum won the Redbridge council seat vacated by the borough’s former leader, Jas Athwal, who was elected a Labour MP last year. Sir Keir’s party also suffered a surprise by-election defeat in west London amid ongoing anger over council tax increases. Independent Theo Dennison, who had previously worked for George Galloway’s parliamentary office, won the Syon and Brentford Lock seat on Hounslow Council by just 12 votes following a poll in March. Labour lost a central London by-election to the Tories amid the row over Sir Sadiq’s plans for Westminster and concerns about traffic changes in February.
