A Chiswick Bright Spot Among Disappointing Election Results

Report back from Andy Slaughter, MP for Hammersmith and Chiswick

Andy Slaughter and Amy Croft after the Chiswick Riverside result announcement

May 15, 2026

Although the local election results were mixed, to say the least. In Chiswick I was really pleased that Cllr Amy Croft topped the polls with a big personal vote based on her record of casework and supporting local community and causes.

The Tories long-standing monopoly in Chiswick seems permanently broken and Labour candidates got solid votes in Gunnersbury and Homefields despite strong challenges. Amy’s seat took Hounslow over the line into Labour retaining control in Hounslow and generally Labour had a better night in west London than elsewhere, with Ealing staying Labour and Hammersmith and Fulham increasing its number of seats.

I visited Babyzone Hammersmith and Fulham last week at West London Youth Zone, a free, drop-in space for families with young children. It was good to see a genuinely accessible service, with no booking or registration required, which brings together activities for children alongside support from health visitors, NHS teams and family workers under one roof. If you have a child aged 0 to 5, do go along. It's every Tuesday during term time, 9:30am to 2:30pm at West London Youth Zone, W12 7TF and is completely free. Find out more at babyzone.org.uk.

I recently visited West London Welcome alongside fellow west London MPs Ruth Cadbury, Ben Coleman, Rupa Huq and Joe Powell. We toured the centre and spoke with volunteers and community members about the support they provide for refugees, asylum seekers and migrants locally. Over lunch, prepared by their excellent chef, we sat down with members of the community to discuss the issues they face and how current and proposed policies affect them. It was a valuable opportunity to hear directly about people’s experiences and the role that organisations like West London Welcome play in providing practical support and a sense of community.

This week, I had the pleasure of attending the Tech She Can National Regenerative AI Roadshow at Hammersmith Academy. I joined a workshop where students pitched their innovative AI product ideas, and I was invited to serve on the judging panel. It was a joy to help select the winning team and to present them with their awards afterward.

I hosted the annual parliamentary event for Alcoholics Anonymous on Tuesday. The event is held to bring together Alcoholics Anonymous and professionals from various fields impacted by alcohol abuse, including medicine and surgery, psychiatry, the police, prison and probation services, and social services. The event helps raises awareness of AA, breaking down barriers and building understanding for people who are still on their recovery journey.

On Tuesday evening I attended the W4 Youth event at Chiswick Cinema exploring youth loneliness. I sat on the panel, ably hosted by Jeremy Vine and we heard from a group of young people about their own experiences. They talked about the importance of youth clubs like W4 Youth who provide entertainment and activities, as well as support for children’s wellbeing. We received questions from the audience and heard lots of brilliant ideas on how we can tackle youth loneliness.

On Friday morning I attended a ceremony to mark the placing of a memorial on the grave of Jeanne Deroin at Margravine Cemetery. Jeanne was one of the most prominent French socialists of the 19 th century and the first woman to stand for parliament. She taught French to William Morris and W B Yeats and lived in Shepherds Bush including Cobbold Road. The event was organised by Bren Simson and Ruth Savery of Friends of Margravine Cemetery.

At the Jeanne Deroin memorial

The State Opening of Parliament and the King’s Speech took place on Wednesday. This ceremony officially opens the new parliamentary session. In the speech the government set out its vision for the coming years, confirming that the Hillsborough Law Bill and Courts and Tribunals Bill from last session will return, plus measures on asylum, criminal and civil justice. Now that parliament is back in session, The Justice Committee’s next meetings will be on 19 th and 20 th May.

Best wishes

Andy

andy@andyslaughter.com

P.S. I send a regular email newsletter to residents about local and national issues. If you would like to receive it then please email me at andy@andyslaughter.com, click this link.