Ilkay Cinko-Oner

FOUR councillors who currently sit on the Town Hall benches as independents are grouping together to become the official opposition to the Labour-held council.

Matt Nathan, Asima Shaikh, Ilkay Cinko-Oner, and Phil Graham have all left the Labour party over the past 18 months, citing grievances with Sir Keir Starmer’s response to Israel’s actions in Gaza, the party’s treatment of Jeremy Corbyn, and the stance on the two-child benefit cap.

Now, they have come together to form the ‘Islington Independent Socialists’, ‘a grouping of independent councillors’, rather than a political party.

In a statement, the four independent councillors described the formation of the Islington Independent Socialists as a “crucial juncture” in their political journey.

Asima Shaikh

They wrote that their political grouping would be “committed to championing the urgent causes of housing justice, protecting the NHS, and demanding freedom for Palestine.”

The independent councillors added in their statement: “Our collective departure from the Labour Party marks a significant shift towards a movement that truly embodies the principles of Peace, Justice, and Integrity. Your involvement in this pivotal moment is crucial.”

The new group also wrote that they are “staunch believers in radical democratic change and transparency in politics”, outlining that they would “vehemently resist any attempts to introduce Private Finance Initiatives (PFI) in health and housing”, as well as advocating for working class and marginalised communities and “combating austerity and racism in all its forms.”

They concluded: “We are committed to representing our constituents and working tirelessly for the residents who have placed their trust in us. Our departure from the Labour Party does not signify an end but a new beginning.

Phil Graham

“We will remain independent socialists, proud of our heritage and determined to forge a path that truly reflects our values and the values we were elected for.”

With one councillor more than the Green Party, it is expected that they will take over as the main opposition in the Town Hall.

The current Leader of the Opposition, Green councillor Benali Hamdache said: “They’ve got more councillors, that’s the name of the game. I wish them luck, it’s a big job especially for a small group of councillors [but] there’s a lot of things that the council need scrutinising on, especially now there’s a Labour government and they can’t blame the Tories.”

He added that the Greens would be happy to collaborate on issues with the newly-formed Islington Independent Socialists. Mr Hamdache said: “They will need us to help, and our door is always open when the council is doing anything wrong.”

Matt Nathan

The Highbury councillor added the future of the Greens on the council is currently unclear, saying that “the constitution is a bit vague about what happens to a third group” at the Town Hall.

It is the first time in history that Islington Council will have more than two groups in the chamber.

But Cllr Hamdache added that the Greens had already embarked on a long-term plan to regain their place in the chamber. “The hard work to elect more councillors in 2026 starts now”, he said. “Me and my colleagues are already out on the doorstep speaking to people across Islington.”

The leader of the council, Labour councillor Kaya Comer-Schwartz, said: “I am looking forward to working with the new group on the council, and all opposition councillors, to deliver for local people and continue our work to create a more equal Islington.

“As former Labour councillors, I hope we can work with them to continue delivering on the manifesto we were all elected on in 2022.”