West End ward councillor quits Labour to join the Conservatives

A councillor on Westminster Council has quit the Labour Party and joined the Conservatives citing Sadiq Khan’s “vanity projects” such as pedestrianising Oxford Street.

In an announcement on Thursday 3 April, West End ward councillor Paul Fisher said the Labour mayor had been more focused on planning projects “than addressing crime and the very real fears that many local people have about their safety and security.”

He also slammed what he described as the Labour government’s plan to “tax, spend and borrow its way to prosperity”. Labour won control of Westminster Council at the local elections in 2022, taking all West End seats.

Now only one Labour councillor remains representing the central London ward. Cllr Fisher’s defection comes as the party lost three local by-elections. Labour now holds a slim majority with 28 seats while the Conservatives have 26.

In a statement, Fisher said: “I am joining the Conservative Party for three reasons: Stagnation, Sadiq and Security. Under a Labour government, our country is being pushed into economic stagnation with a tax on jobs stifling economic growth.

“Labour’s ‘solution’ to Britain’s problems is to tax, spend and borrow its way to prosperity. As Mayor, Sadiq Khan has failed London. He is more focused on vanity projects such as Oxford Street pedestrianisation than addressing crime and the very real fears that many local people have about their safety and security.”

He added: “I am disappointed that the Labour Party I have worked hard for over many years is not delivering solutions to the problems we all face. The Conservative Party in Westminster has shown me they are listening, and they have a passion for finding pragmatic answers to the problems of our City. As a Conservative, I will hold Labour to account.”

Cllr Fisher told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) he began considering the swap shortly after Labour’s General Election win in July. As a member of a family of Labour supporters, Fisher said the decision to defect “was not taken lightly” and stemmed from his concerns about the government’s approach to borrowing costs.

He said: “The cost of borrowing has increased beyond initial forecasts. What the government should be doing is setting up a plan in the short term to bring down the debt but what we saw in the Spring Statement was an increase in spending. My view is the party was making things worse and increasing National Insurance contributions on companies was a disastrous decision.”

Fisher also claimed Westminster Labour had “little influence” within the national party, which he said viewed their win in 2022 local elections in the borough as a “blip”. He also claimed the national party had “fed Westminster to the wolves” by allowing Sadiq Khan to proceed with a Mayoral Development Corporation for Oxford Street and allowing the Mayor additional powers to overrule the council’s licensing decisions.

Westminster Council said it grants the “vast majority” of licensing applications. They said applications are only refused where safety concerns are raised by the police or significant disruption is likely. Fisher said he has not yet decided if he will run for re-election in 2026.

‘Deeply disappointed’

Westminster Council leader Adam Hug said he was “deeply disappointed” by the decision.

“As a council we are committed to taking action to address crime and anti-social behaviour through investing in CCTV, new city inspectors and other measures after the Tories withdrew from the scene on these issues.

“We will continue to stand up for local residents whilst growing the local economy and improving the performance of our services,” he said.

The sentiment was shared by Labour’s remaining West End councillor, Patrick Lilley.

In a post on X, he wrote: “Disappointed by Cllr Fisher’s defection. He played a key role in Westminster, especially on committees. But I stand firmly with Labour’s record — standing up for residents, delivering free school meals, tackling ASB, return of CCTV and building a fairer Westminster.”

Cllr Paul Swaddle, leader of the City of Westminster Conservative Group, welcomed Cllr Fisher to the Conservative benches on Thursday evening, following formal admission by a vote of the existing Conservative councillors and an official notification being sent to the local authority’s Chief Executive. He said: “Cllr Fisher has won the respect of Conservative Councillors across the usual party divides and has shown himself to be an intelligent, diligent and highly capable councillor.

“With our three by-election victories since the General Election, we have seen the huge number of local residents who, like Cllr Fisher, are upset and angry at Labour’s failings here in Westminster and across the country. We are looking forward to the local elections next year as our opportunity to retake control of the council and address those legitimate concerns.”

Westminster City Council has eighteen wards, each represented by three councillors for a total of 54 seats. All seats will be subject to elections in May 2026.

West End Ward lies at the heart of London and includes many of the most recognisable parts of London, including the shopping districts of Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street. It covers the neighbourhoods of Fitzrovia, Marylebone, Mayfair and Soho. It is one of the most socially and economically diverse wards in London. Home to some 12,500 residents, it hosts 250,000 who are based in the ward for work.

Many of London’s top creative industries, including Savile Row, the post-production facilities in Soho and art galleries and auctioneers of Mayfair are situated within West End ward. It is one of the world’s most vibrant areas, with millions of visitors a year, and a vibrant and diverse economy including over 8,000 bars, restaurants, hotels and other hospitality venues.

A London Labour spokesperson said: “Cllr Paul Fisher was elected on a manifesto of a fairer, safer, greener Westminster, so it is deeply disappointing that he has chosen to reject that vision and join Kemi Badenoch’s Conservative Party. Westminster Labour is getting on with the job — tackling crime and antisocial behaviour, investing in new city inspectors and growing the local economy.”

He added: “The Conservative Party threw the country to the wolves, crashing the economy, wrecking public services and and cutting local authority finances to the bone. While Westminster Labour and City Hall are working together to grow London’s economy and create good skilled jobs for local people, Paul Fisher has joined a hopelessly divided party that was utterly rejected by the electorate just nine months ago.”

Fisher has been a Labour Party member since he was 15 years’ old, his father was a member of the National Union of Mineworkers, and he held a senior position within Westminster Council.

The Westminster Extra reported that Fisher’s departure from the party caused alarm, and many members tryied to persuade him to stay.

A month earlier in neighbouring Camden, another Labour councillor also defected to the Tories.

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