Labour in Hounslow Mirroring Party in Westminster

Former Chiswick Homefields councillor Gerald McGregor reports back

Gerald McGregor

May 17, 2026

The election fallout has started to make itself felt, and in a microcosm the local Hounslow Labour Party is behaving just like their national counterparts at Westminster. Residents are not finding any relief.

Having been shocked to their core by the loss of 40per cent of their former Labour members in the recent election and now split by personality and policy differences in the group elected, it makes sense to evaluate how they can hold together, given the pressures from their newly energised opponents.

For example, Chiswick Conservatives acquitted themselves well and have now been joined by ten new members in the west of the borough and are looking forward to further revivals of fortune in the future through street campaigns and meetings with residents.

Turnout was 41 per cent Overall, compared to 33.6 per cent in 2022 - an increase of 7.4 per cent. In Chiswick, which was hard fought across the three Hounslow wards, the turnover approached 50%.

The biggest overall impact was made by the Conservatives

 Breakdown by party compared to 2022 Council Members elected:

Labour - 32 (-20)

Conservatives - 17 (+7)

Reform UK - 8 (+8)

Greens - 3 (+3)

Liberal Democrat - 1 (+1)

Independent - 1 (+1)

The wide spread of other political success is highly representative of a general mood, ranging from anger with the status quo and lack of performance, verging towards despairing indifference and the “nothing can be done syndrome”.

What does this mean for policy. After four years plus of poor decision making (parking, street management, creating traffic congestion, shopping areas, planning) all presented as “Policy” the new administration has promised to listen to residents; so does that mean they weren’t previously listening and what does that mean in quality terms of improved decisions and better delivery.

With so many residents facing higher taxes, bigger council tax bills and new property taxes, and the consistent interference in the daily lives of everybody in Hounslow and Chiswick, they are entitled to feel exasperated.

Let us what the new administration thinks it can do differently? The outlook looks somewhat grim.

Gerald McGregor

DEMOCRACY: DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Council Meeting – Next Borough Council Not Till

26 May 2026 7:30 pm  – The Annual Meeting of the Council

Anyone can attend public meetings of the council. Most meetings take place on the 6th Floor, Hounslow House, 7 Bath Road, TW3 3EB. Hounslow House is fully accessible. The nearest tube is Hounslow Central which does not have step-free access. Parking in local roads is limited.

Principal meetings are broadcast live on the Council’s YouTube channel

Emergencies

You can report emergencies outside office hours by ringing the council on: 020 8583 2222.

CONSERVATIVE COUNCILLOR SURGERIES

Chiswick: Every Saturday from 9.30am to 10.30am at Chiswick Library (the seven Conservative councillors take this surgery in turn).

Gunnersbury: First Saturday of the month from 10am to 11am at The Gunnersbury Triangle Club, Triangle Way, off The Ridgeway, W3 8LU (at least one of the Chiswick Gunnersbury ward councillors takes this surgery). 

CONSERVATIVE COUNCILLORS and CONTACTS

Chiswick Gunnersbury ward

Cllr Joanna Biddolph joanna.biddolph@hounslow.gov.uk 07976 703446

Cllr Ron Mushiso ron.mushiso@hounslow.gov.uk 07976 702887

Cllr Vickram Grewal vickram.grewal@hounslow.gov.uk 07904 184099

Chiswick Homefields ward

Cllr Jack Emsley jack.emsley@hounslow.gov.uk 07977 396017

Cllr Michael Denniss Michael.Denniss@hounslow.gov.uk

Cllr Linden Grigg Linden.Grigg@hounslow.gov.uk 07779 436258

Chiswick Riverside ward

Cllr Gabriella Giles gabriella.giles@hounslow.gov.uk 07966 270823