Two By-elections To Be Held in Brentford

A pair of Labour councillors stepping down in different wards

Rhys Williams (left) and Balraj Sarai (right)

January 24, 2025

Two by-elections are to be held in Brentford after the departure was announced of two Labour councillors.

The vacation of his seat by Balraj Sarai in Syon and Brentford Lock ward had been widely predicted after he failed to attend any council meeting for over six months. However, in a surprise announcement, Brentford East councillor Rhys Williams also confirmed he was stopping down.

He said, "I have decided to resign as the councillor for Brentford East with immediate effect.

"Over recent months I have been considering whether I could continue to effectively balance my responsibilities as a councillor representing my residents with my responsibilities as a partner and a father to a young daughter alongside working full time. Spending the Christmas period in Australia with family gave me the opportunity to reflect on my priorities at this time in my life, and I have decided that I need to put my family first."

The head office of the Labour party has sent an email to local members saying that there will be a truncated selection process for its candidates and it will only be accepting applicants who identify as female who have been a member of the party in the borough for a minimum of a year..

Sharidin Mumuni, Treasurer and Woman’s Officer for the Brentford & Isleworth Constituency Labour Party had been widely tipped to taken over from Balraj Sarai and local party members also feel that Kauser Fadal, a local authority child protection solicitor and trustee of the Chiswick House and Gardens Trust are possible picks.

Freya Summersgill has announced that she will be standing in Syon & Brentford Lock for the Greens. She finished fourth in the Brentford West by election last May with 338 votes.

She said, says: “As a local resident with a young family, I want to continue to build a stronger community where children thrive. I have volunteered with youth groups for more than 20 years, encouraging them to be an active part of their local community and to promote self-confidence and independence.

“I have been actively campaigning for environmental issues since childhood and will advocate the urgent local actions needed to prevent and adapt to the climate crisis. I have a PhD in civil engineering and I am passionate about designing sustainable buildings suitable for net zero construction. I use my professional knowledge and experience to respond to local developments, council policies and plans."

Other parties are yet to indicate candidate choices at this early stage.

Regarding the resignation of Balraj Sarai, Cllr Peter Thompson, leader of the Conservative Group on Hounslow Council, said, “If you don’t turn up to work, you’re sacked. If you don’t turn up for school, you’re in front of the headteacher. But the Hounslow Labour Party seems to think that a councillor who doesn’t turn up for meetings or work for the people who elected him should be allowed to stay in place at the tax payers expense. The fact that Brentford residents will only get a by-election because of the threat of disqualification due to prolonged failure to attend council meetings shames the Hounslow Labour Party. I am glad that residents will now have the opportunity to show the local Labour Party what they think of this whole sorry affair at the ballot box.”

Labour held on with a reduced majority in Brentford West after Lara Parizotto stood down and its national poll ratings were much higher at that time. These by elections will be held on 6 March with council tax bills for the year likely to show a maximum increase from the year before.