Dave Wetzel's Revolutionary Life Celebrated

Friends, colleagues and family join memorial

The gathering to remember Dave Wetzel

December 20, 2024

A special memorial celebration was held earlier this month in honour of Dave Wetzel who died this August aged 81.

The event was held at the Feltham Assembly Hall, hosted by his wife Heather, children and grandchildren as well as former colleagues in the Greater London Council (GLC), Labour Party including John McDonnel and MP Ruth Cadbury, the Land Value Tax Alliance and the Hounslow Green Party.

The former bus conductor and leader of Hounslow Council is credited as being one of the most influential politicians in London in the second half of the twentieth century, particularly in the field of transport policy. He is responsible for the introduction of the London-wide travel card.

First elected as a councillor in the newly formed borough in 1964 before being elected to the GLC in the eighties. He went on to play a key role in the Fares Fair policy which so infuriated Margaret Thatcher and led her to abolish the GLC. When the House of Lords ruled against his low fares policy he initially refused to implement the decision and launched a ‘Can’t Pay, Won’t Pay’ campaign during which he dressed up in a gorilla costume and refused to pay a bus fare.

A committed socialist throughout his life, he eventually left the Labour party to join the Greens in 2014.

In a statement following the memorial the Greens issued a statement saying, “Throughout his life, Dave worked to create accessible and inclusive policies championing of a greater cause, a core trait that led him to join the Green Party. He continued envisioning a better future for all, promoting socio-economic equity and environmental sustainability, all activated through grassroots activism.

“His lifelong commitment to innovation in social justice and reform for environmental betterment has left a lasting impact on London and beyond.”

“From Red to Green, Dave Wetzel’s life has been nothing short of remarkable, providing a beacon of inspiration, resilience, and perseverance, for all the lives he influenced from both near and far.”

John McDonnell MP pays tribute to Dave Wetzel

Mr Wetzel was also President of the Labour Land Campaign since 1982 having been inspired by the ideas of Henry George who advocated a system of taxation based on the value of land. He also served for 12 years as the President of the West London Peace Council up to 1994.

He is survived by his wife, Heather, their daughters Emma and Chantel, and four grandchildren.