Labour's Councillor Selection Process Faces Criticism

Members excluded from candidate picks as party hierarchy takes charge

Councillors in the Hounslow Labour group pictured after the last local elections. Picture: Hounslow Labour

June 20, 2025

There has been an angry reaction from both inside and out of the Labour party in Hounslow to new arrangements for the selection of candidates for the council.

The process across the borough is to be handled by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) with selection overseen by the London Labour Regional Office.

An NEC panel will draw up short lists and then conduct interviews. There will be no right of appeal from within the party as the NEC is the highest authority within the organisation.

This represents an extension of the special measures already implemented by the party in the Feltham and Heston constituency across the borough to include Brentford and Isleworth.

A statement issued to party members says, "This will ensure that the selection process is consistent across the borough as well as avoiding the potential issues caused by the governance challenges in Feltham and Heston. The introduction of outside interview panels across London and the wider Labour Party has ensured that we have raised and maintained a better standard of Labour local government candidate. While the irregularities within Hounslow mean that membership participation remains difficult, this NEC led process will ensure the best candidates for Labour at the upcoming elections in 2026."

Some Labour members within the borough are unhappy about the decision claiming that it means that the process of candidate selection for next year’s council election has become undemocratic.

One told Brentford TV, “This is the most undemocratic moment in the history of our borough. Never before in Hounslow have Labour council candidates been appointed. Members are being completely bypassed in the selection. This is because key members of this administration, including the Leader, would face selection issues if Party members decided the candidates for 2026. This is an outrageous abuse of power and something we have never seen before.”

There had previously been speculation that one or more senior councillors were preparing to make a leadership challenge ahead of the next election.

The opposition joined the criticism of the move with Cllr Peter Thompson, Leader of the /Conservative Group, saying, "This is a blatant stitch-up. Labour is bypassing its members because senior figures fear being deselected. It’s the most undemocratic move we’ve seen in this borough. While Labour imposes candidates from on high, Conservatives will continue to trust our members and local communities to choose the best people to stand. Hounslow deserves better than backroom deals and party fixers."

The selection process will be in effect for the selection of the candidate in Cranford to replace Cllr Sukhbir Singh Dhaliwal whose death was announced this week.

Cllr Thompson said, “We are deeply saddened by the news of Councillor Sukhbir Dhaliwal’s passing yesterday. On behalf of the Conservative Group, I extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues. Sukhbir was a dedicated councillor whose warmth and commitment to Cranford and the wider Hounslow community earned him respect across the political divide. Our thoughts are with all who mourn his loss.”

The Hounslow Labour Group said, "The Labour Party will select quality local candidates to contest every seat across our borough. These candidates will work hard for residents and continue to deliver on the good work being done by this administration.

"The local Conservatives, meanwhile, have seen two of their nine members cross the floor in as many years. Both cited the Conservative Group's internal divisions and petty point scoring as a distraction from the job of actually serving residents.

"In May 2026, the choice will be simple - hard-working, professional, local Labour candidates, dedicated to improving the lives of our residents, or more silly squabbles and petty parochialism from the Tories."