The build up

In April, we launched our local elections campaign, asking candidates to pledge their support for migrant justice and, if elected, commit to implement the following policies: 

• Commit to remaining a Borough of Sanctuary
• End council complicity in immigration raid
• Support free access to English classes
• Fix temporary housing

As part of our work with Waltham Forest Citizens, we co-hosted an Accountability Assembly.We had representation from the Greens and Labour. The Conservative candidate dropped out at the last minute and others were unable to attend or didn’t respond. 

Candidates were asked a number of questions set out by assembly members, including on migrant justice and the issue of council complicity in immigration raids. Both parties were supportive of migrant justice issues in general. The Green Party candidate, Paul Perkins, responded that under their watch, council officers would not participate or be present in immigration raids. While Labour councillor, Grace Williams, was forced into a more defensive position following the High Street raids that took place last summer.  

We also had stalls in Walthamstow town square and as part of the Shake the High Road festival in Leytonstone, talking to people across our borough about why the refugee and migrant rights matter.

So what did they say?

We heard back from a number of councillors and parties, and in a nutshell, this was the response:

• Conservatives – no response
• Greens – positive response and commitment to migrant justice and policy asks. 
• Independents – positive response and commitment to migrant justice and policy asks.
• Labour – response outlining achievements whilst in power, but no explicit commitment to implementing our policy asks.
• Liberal Democrats – positive response with commitment to migrant justice and policy asks.
• Trade Union and Socialist Coalition – detailed and positive response and commitment to migrant justice and policy asks.
• Reform UK – no response

Election results

Turnout reached a record of 42.08%, which is rare for local elections. Results trickled in throughout Friday and Saturday, showing a historic victory for the Greens, who won 31 of 60 seats – going from zero representation to leading the Council. Labour retained 15 seats – down from 44; and, north of the borough, Conservatives won 14 seats, gaining one and picking up three seats previously held by Reform UK, who gained none.

Forest ward Cllr Paul Perkins and Cann Hall ward Cllr Eva Tabbasam are the new co-leaders of the Council and will rotate leadership. This means that Cllr Perkins will lead for the first 12 months with Cllr Tabbasam acting as deputy, before switching roles. The new Cabinet and Mayor were announced yesterday at the AGM.

William Morris ward Cllr Kizzy Gardiner, the former cabinet member for children, has replaced William Morris ward Cllr Grace Williams as local Labour leader, and Hale End and Highams Park South ward Cllr Rosalind Doré, the former cabinet member for culture, will serve as her deputy.

Cllr Emma Best retained her role as Conservative leader, but no longer serves as the leader of the opposition.

For more details about results in your ward, you can visit the council website. 

Nationally, we have quite a different picture.  

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We are aware, that on election day, a number of immigration raids took place in Waltham Forest – both on businesses and on private residence. This is part of ongoing government policy the detain and deport people seeking safety and is facing growing resistance in communities. We continue to work with Waltham Forest Anti-immigration Raids Network to monitor the situation and oppose raids.

Last month, the BBC insinuated that legal advisers help migrants pose as LGTBQ+ to get asylum. While there might be some unscrupulous individuals or bogus law firms seeking to deceive and exploit people seeking asylum, including thought the provision of illicit advice – and they certainly should be investigated and condemmed – that is not routinely what happens. This so-called undercover investigation, not only flies in the face of people lived reality, it also shows great disrespect for often overworked legal advisers navigating an increasingly complex immigration system.

Around the world, LGBTQ+ people face huge barriers and stigma, and many countries still restrict their rights, making it impossible for them to live safely and free from persecution. Further, in many cases, legislation criminalising LGBTQ+ people today is intrinsically linked to Britain’s colonial legacy. From the 1860’s onwards, Britain imposed specific penal codes and common law with a moral, religious puritanism that continue to underpin legal frameworks. 

Such inflammatory ‘journalism’ only serves to spread misinformation about people seeking safety. Instead the BBC should be reporting on the disproportionate impact that recent policy changes will have on LGBTQ+ people – and outlined in Rainbow Migration’s MP briefing. 

Q Manivannam, a queer Tamil politician, elected as a member of the Scottish Parliament in May, is causing a stir because of his immigration status, but their election also shows us what is possible. Q Manivannam is a member of Scottish Greens. The party committed in their manifesto to improve the mostly-migrant-gig economy. This is an interesting move, because while powers on immigration policy sit in Westminster, Scottish authorities have some powers to improve the security and rights of migrant workers and communities – and they’re prioritising it.  

Meanwhile Westminster is yet again letting the side down. Just a few days after the elections debacle that saw Labour lose a significant number of seats, the government announced their legislative agenda for the coming year, via the king’s speech … and yes, it included an immigration and asylum bill that will cement recent policy changes into law. The accompanying briefing (jump to p.121) outlines what we already know about plans for ‘earned’ settlement, enforcement, detention and deportation, tightening Article 8, and so on.

Strangely, the ‘key facts’ in the briefing aren’t referenced or contextualised, and contradict the stark reality that more people are actually leaving than arriving. Net migration is dropping – from a peak of 944,000 in the year to March 2023 to 204,000 in the year to June 2025, according to government figures. But this is not stopping Andy Burnham, Labour’s Makerfield by-election candidate from backing the Home Secretary’s draconian immigration policies.