Parties to slug it out in Lewisham bye-elections on Thursday
By James Twomey
A by-election is taking place on Thursday for two seats in a town hall after two councillors stepped down earlier this year.
Two seats in Lewisham council are up for grabs with one councillor needed in each of the Evelyn and Whitefoot wards.
The by-election announcement follows the resignations of two former councillors Alex Feis-Bryce in the Evelyn ward and Janet Daby – elected Lewisham East MP last June – in the Whitefoot ward.
Political parties will view this as an opportunity to break the Labour party’s dominance in the area as they currently hold every seat in the council.
Gwenton Sloley is a notable candidate for the Lewisham People Before Profit party standing for the Whitefoot seat. Mr Slolely is a leading anti-gangs advisor whose house was controversially raided by police last year.
Joyce Jacca, the party’s candidate in Evelyn, and the party have campaigned against cuts to libraries, playgroups, community centres and parks.
The Women’s Equality Party are putting forward Nicke Adebowale for Evelyn and Cairis Grant-Hickey for Whitefoot and the party strongly advocates gender equality and equal gender recognition.
James Braun is the Green Party candidate and they will be pushing to protect the local environment, improve housing and see everyone locally earn the London living wage.
The Conservative Party focus on council tax and fly-tipping with candidates Eleanor Reader-Moore in Evelyn and Ben Michael Brereton Blackmore in Whitefoot.
The Liberal Democrats are also calling for action on fly-tipping as well as a strong emphasis on halting Brexit proceedings. Their candidates are Bunmi Wajero for Evelyn and Max Brockbank for Whitefoot.
Richard Day is the UKIP candidate for Evelyn and they say they want freedom from the European Union and freedom from political correctness.
The Democrats and Veterans Party have two candidates that believe in direct democracy and supporting military veterans. Their candidate for Evelyn is Matt Jenkins and for Whitefoot Massimo James Dimambro will be standing.
The Christian People’s Alliance will have a candidate in Whitefoot and the party has focussed on air pollution and supporting traditional marriage.
The Labour party hold every other seat in the council and maintain their policy of tackling housing issues and creating jobs with their candidates Lionel Openshaw in Evelyn and Kim Amanda Powell in Whitefoot.
Residents of the two wards will be able to vote on May 2 between the hours of 7am to 10pm and can find the location of their nearest polling station on the Lewisham council website at https://lewisham.gov.uk/en/mayorandcouncil/elections
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If Labour are tackling housing issues why did they miss the £42m government funding deadline for affordable homes through pure incompetence.