Last week’s by-election result in Cranford was more than just a local contest, it was a turning point for Hounslow politics. Labour’s vote collapsed by 13% while the Conservatives surged by 10%. Reform UK, despite all the hype, trailed well behind. For me, as Leader of the Conservative Group on Hounslow Council and as someone who has had the privilege of leading the borough before, it was both a reminder and a reassurance: when residents are given a real choice, they are willing to turn their backs on Labour’s complacency and mismanagement.
Labour currently holds the vast majority of the 62 seats on Hounslow Council. That dominance has bred arrogance. Too often, residents tell me they feel taken for granted. From housing delays to parking chaos, from crumbling pavements to poor communication, Labour presides over decline while insisting all is well. Cranford shows that people are beginning to push back.
For the Conservatives this result was especially significant. We have been through a period of rebuilding and returning to the basics: listening to residents, knocking on doors and standing up for local communities. Gurpreet Singh Sidhu, our candidate in Cranford, worked tirelessly with a newly energised campaign team. Their success was not accidental. It was the fruit of hard graft, discipline and genuine engagement with local people.
As my colleague Cllr Ron Mushiso put it, “We put up a good fight. The troops are even more motivated to take on all comers in 2026.” He is right. The mood in our group and among our activists is the most positive I have seen in years.
Cranford also exposed a truth about Reform UK. Nationally, they like to talk tough and earlier this year, they seized control of a dozen councils. But already those councils are mired in rows, resignations and broken promises. Running billion-pound budgets is rather harder than waving flags and issuing press releases. Here in Hounslow voters recognised that reality. Reform barely registered while Conservatives surged ahead.
Only the Conservatives are in a position to challenge Labour in this borough. We have the experience; the knowledge of how local government really works and the track record of delivery. As a former leader of the council, I know what it takes to make Hounslow function for its residents. That is the choice now facing our borough: continued decline under a tired Labour administration or a Conservative alternative that listens, learns and delivers.
Cranford was a warning to Labour. They can no longer take Hounslow for granted. For us, it was a clear sign that the tide is turning. We are back in the fight, and we are marching with confidence towards 2026.
