For the first time, more than half of Islington Labour’s candidates at next year’s local elections will be female. If the Labour candidates are elected, Islington Council would have the highest proportion of female councillors of any council in London.
After the largest democratic process in the borough’s history, outside of a public election, almost 7,000 local party members have chosen 48 candidates to stand across the borough in the council elections on 3rd May 2018.
14 new candidates will be standing for Islington Labour, with more female black and minority ethnic candidates standing than at the 2014 elections.
Cllr Richard Watts, Leader of Islington Council, said: “Islington Labour is on the side of local people and is making a difference for the many, not the few, on the issues that matter most.
“Next year’s election is a chance for local people to vote for a Labour council that will build more new council homes, help people find decent jobs and give young people the best start in life. Despite cuts of over 70 per cent by the Tory Government, we are making a difference with less by protecting essential services like recycling collections, keeping all libraries open and maintaining support for older residents.
“I am delighted that, for the first time, more than half of Islington Labour’s candidates will be female. We have a wealth of talent and experience amongst our diverse range of candidates.
“This election will also be an opportunity to send a clear message to the Tory Government that people in Islington reject their unfair policies.
“We will continue to work flat-out all year round to win the support of local people.”
Islington Labour’s candidates for the 2018 local elections will be -;
- Barnsbury – Rowena Champion, Jilani Chowdhury and Mouna Hamitouche
- Bunhill – Troy Gallagher, Phil Graham and Claudia Webbe
- Caledonian – Paul Convery, Sara Hyde and Una O’Halloran
- Canonbury – Clare Jeapes, Nick Wayne and John Woolf
- Clerkenwell – Ben Mackmurdie, Matt Nathan and Kadeema Woodbyrne
- Finsbury Park – Gary Heather, Mick O’Sullivan and Asima Shaikh
- Highbury East – Osh Gantly, Sue Lukes and Chris Russell
- Highbury West – Theresa Debono, Andy Hull and Roulin Khondoker
- Hillrise – Michelline Ngongo, Dave Poyser and Marian Spall
- Holloway – Rakhia Ismail, Paul Smith and Diarmaid Ward
- Junction – Sheila Chapman, Janet Burgess and Kaya Comer- Schwartz
- Mildmay – Santiago Bell-Bradford, Joe Caluori and Jenny Kay
- St George’s – Tricia Clarke, Kat Fletcher and Satnam Gill
- St Mary’s -; Angela Picknell, Gary Poole and Nurullah Turan
- St Peter’s – Vivien Cutler, Martin Klute and Alice Perry
- Tolllington – Anjna Khuruna, Richard Watts and Flora Williamson
26 candidates are female (54%), and 22 male. The current Labour Group is 42% female.
Of the 14 new candidates, 8 are female and 6 male, with 21% being BAME.
Pictured – Islington Labour candidates and volunteers campaigning in Highbury.