Islington Labour councillors have destroyed Green attempts to push for proportional representation (PR) in local elections.
At last night’s full council meeting, sole opposition Cllr Caroline Russell (Green, Highbury East) tabled a motion calling for the council to write to Islington MPs Jeremy Corbyn and Emily Thornberry, as well as local government secretary James Brokenshire, to ask them to express their support for PR in council elections and EU citizens to retain their voting rights.
That was torn up by Islington Labour, which amended the motion’s resolution to remove all mention of PR. Instead, it has pledged to write to Prime Minister Theresa May to guarantee rights of EU citizens to vote and stand in local elections, as well as Mr Brokenshire to ask “what plans the government has to increase participation at local elections”.
Labour had 61 per cent of the votes in May’s local elections, winning 98 per cent (47) of the seats. The Greens got 16pc of the votes, winning 2pc (one) of the seats.
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