Councillor resigns from Labour claiming colleagues falsely accused her of organising pro-Palestine protest

By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter

A councillor has resigned from Labour after she was investigated by the party for allegedly organising a pro-Palestine protest, which she denies.

Hau-Yu Tam, a councillor in Lewisham, said she revoked her Labour Party membership on polling day last week.

Lewisham Labour Group said Councillorr Tam, who represents Evelyn ward in Deptford, was handed a formal warning by the party earlier this year following an investigation. Her temporary suspension from the party, which was in place during the inquiry, was lifted in February.

But, in a resignation statement posted on X on Tuesday, Cllr Tam said she’d decided to leave the party, claiming she was falsely accused of organising the rally by people who wanted to expel her from the party.

According to Cllr Tam, who described the allegations as ‘absurd’, other Labour Party members argued that she posed a security threat and as a result weakened the council’s financial resources.

“They claimed hypocritically that I acted out of retaliation, given that the Israel-Gaza ceasefire motion I proposed had been denied a debate by colleagues at Labour Group,” she added.

Cllr Tam said she remained in the party until the investigation was complete because she wanted to clear her name and ‘fight back against wrongdoing.’ She said she would continue to represent Evelyn ward as an independent councillor and remain as vice-chairwoman of the council’s safer stronger communities select committee.

Cllr Tam was elected to Lewisham council in May 2022. Lewisham council is made up of 54 Labour councillors and one independent councillor, Cllr Tam.

A spokesman for the local Labour group said: “Lewisham Labour Group was saddened and disappointed to hear that Cllr Hau-Yu Tam has decided to leave the Labour Party.

“Lewisham Labour Group was informed by the Labour Party in November 2023 that Cllr Tam was being investigated by the party. During this investigation, cCllr Tam’s membership of the party and the Lewisham Labour Group was administratively suspended. The investigation resulted in her receiving a formal warning from the party. Her suspension from the party and the Lewisham Labour Group was lifted in February 2024.

“Lewisham Labour Group will continue to work to support and deliver for residents in Evelyn ward and across the borough.”

Councillor Hau-Yu Tam was contacted for comment but didn’t reply.

Pictured top: Cllr Hau-Yu Tam (Picture: Lewisham council)