Thanks and congrats
Massive wins for pro-Palestine candidates in Lambeth council election
Lambeth Labour have conceded a massive defeat in the local council elections today, losing 28 seats to the Greens and Liberal Democrats.
Labour's historic losses today were well deserved. The party's losses were no doubt due to a number of issues, including a very poor record on housing and cuts to services. But on the doorstep, we heard that the party's poor record on Palestine and Gaza also contributed to this historic shift, predominantly from Labour to Green.
Our campaign, Lambeth Votes Palestine, was born out of frustration with Lambeth Labour's obstruction of any discussion of support for Palestinian rights, and blocks to divest Lambeth's pension funds from companies directly profiting from the genocide in Gaza. Lambeth Labour councillors voted against a ceasefire and blocked a council hearing for a petition signed by over 5,000 Lambeth residents. Labour told us that Palestine was not a local issue, but voters disagreed.
Disgust with Labour’s complicity in the genocide, and the rising authoritarianism to silence pro-Palestine voices no doubt played a part in Labour’s defeat in Lambeth today.
This new council signals a return to authentic leadership for Lambeth. Nationally, Lambeth had the third highest number of candidates signing the Pledge for Palestine. 28 of the winning candidates have signed the Pledge for Palestine, promising to uphold the rights of Palestinians, divest fully from genocide, and do their upmost to hold Israel accountable for its crimes.
We congratulate the winning candidates on their wins and look forward to working with them on the divestment of Lambeth council funds from complicity in genocide.
We thank all of those who joined us, worked with us, or extended a helping hand along the way. Our social media campaign reached tens of thousands of people and got hundreds of thousands of views. Massive thanks to our collaborators and for each and every view, like and repost.
Free Palestine.
P.S.
Big thanks as well to Brixton Buzz and the Canary who covered the campaign. Here’s a round up of their coverage
Lambeth Vote Palestine – which candidates to vote for in your ward
A new national campaign has gone live with the full list of council candidates who have committed, if elected, to push their councils to divest pension funds from companies complicit in Israel̵…
Lambeth leads the way in launching the Vote Palestine pledge
Local people in Lambeth realised their democratic power in being the first community in the UK to launch the 'Vote Palestine' pledge campaign
Jewish Voice drop Labour as anti-apartheid veteran backs Lambeth tactical voting
Britain’s most prominent Jewish left organisation has officially dropped Labour, as veteran anti-apartheid campaigner and former African National Congress MP Andrew Feinstein backed a new grassroot…
