A North London branch of the Green Party has decided not to stand a candidate in an upcoming by-election because the former councillor for that seat stepped down following threats of violence. The Greens have urged other parties to do the same, however, their agreement has not been forthcoming.
Anton Georgiou, 30, stepped down from his role as councillor for Alperton and the Leader of the Brent Liberal Democrats last month (December, 2024), a position he had held since 2020. The former councillor said the decision to stand down was made ‘with a heavy heart’ but was necessary due to personal reasons – in part because of a ‘very traumatic experience’ where he was the victim of stalking, with the perpetrator having recently been released from prison.
Given the circumstances of Mr Georgiou’s resignation, the Brent Green Party has opted not to contest the pending by-election. A party spokesperson said: “Democracy free of violent threats is more important than any individual party interest. We will not stand in the Alperton ward by-election brought about by Cllr Georgiou’s resignation and urge the Labour and Conservative parties to take similar action.”
However the Greens have not urged the Lib Dems to effectively boycott the by-election, believing because their standing councillor was forced to step down due to threats to his safety, they should be able to contest the seat unopposed.
The Greens claim the statement was sent to Labour and Conservatives ahead of the announcement but they did not receive a response from either party. The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) reached out to both parties following the statement. Whilst the Conservatives didn’t respond, Labour confirmed that they will be putting forward a candidate.
A spokesperson for Brent Labour called the decision on who is best placed to represent Alperton ‘a democratic choice’ that should only be made by the local residents. The party has already announced that Prerna Thakkar has been selected as its candidate for election.
The spokesperson told the LDRS: “We understand the former councillor for Alperton is leaving the area for a new job. We look forward to making the case to the residents of Alperton that the Labour Party is the only party that can make genuine change come to their area.”
They added: “Your Labour council has a mandate to renew, regenerate and build a better future for all residents. We are proud to have already delivered £625k investment in Alperton’s parks, created hundreds of new and affordable homes, and launched a renewed crackdown on fly-tippers and litterers.”
Responding to Labour’s decision, the Greens pointed to a similar principle being recognised by the main political parties following the ‘more extreme circumstances’ in which MPs David Amess and Jo Cox were murdered whilst in office.
Co-ordinator of Brent Green Party, William Relton, added: “We are sorry that Brent Labour Party does not recognise the principle underlying our decision and request. Anton Georgiou’s political career in Brent was cut short by a stalker who threatened to kill him and has now been released from a prison term. Standing down is an act of solidarity with Anton regardless of any political differences.”
The Liberal Democrats have announced Charlie Clinton as their candidate for election in Alperton. Speaking to the LDRS, the new leader of the party and councillor for Sudbury ward, Paul Lorber, said: “We are grateful to the Green Party for their understanding and support for Anton Georgiou and the two-year ordeal he and his family had to endure.”
He added: “Anton was a fantastic champion for Alperton and the Liberal Democrat team is working hard to elect Charlie Clinton, who lives in Alperton, as another Liberal Democrat who will stand up for Alperton residents. Local people know that only the Liberal Democrats can beat Labour in Alperton. The Conservatives always come a long way behind and have no chance.”
The date of the by-election has now been announced and is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, February 18. At the time of writing, the Conservatives are yet to announce their candidate, nor are there details of any independents who may stand.
Returning Officer and Chief Executive of Brent Council, Kim Wright, said: “If you live in Alperton, you must check that you are registered to vote by midnight on January 31 for the upcoming by-election and think about applying for a postal vote if that’s a more convenient option. This is your opportunity to elect a councillor to represent you and the ward on Brent Council.”
Grant Williams is a journalist and Local Democracy Reporter (LDR) for Reach PLC, reporting on local government, politics and community issues across London. As part of the Local Democracy Reporting Service, he has contributed to Harrow Online, covering council decisions, housing developments, transport, planning matters and stories affecting local communities across Harrow and Brent.
