Lloyd Child (right), who had spent more than three decades campaigning for Labour, pictured with Joseph Croft, Hannah McHugh and Saiqa Pandor

THE victors in St Mary’s and St James’ have paid tribute to their ward organiser as they celebrated an emotional win just weeks after he unexpectedly passed away.

Lloyd Child, who had spent more than three decades campaigning for Labour in the ward, suffered a heart attack last month on his way to a Barnet FC game.

He was described by colleagues as “gentle, funny, good-humoured and thoughtful”, as they pulled off victory in all three seats in what was expected to be a tightly fought battle.

Cllr Dr Hannah McHugh said Mr Child was “missed so much” on election day. “He was the very best of Islington”, she added. “Lloyd was the most local of the local – he knew every road in his patch from years of canvassing and organising councillors.

“Election day was bitter-sweet as we won and he wanted us to win”, added Cllr Saiqa Pandor.

“This win was for Lloyd. He was my dear friend who always encouraged me and when I met him for the first time he said ‘you’ll win and go far’”.

Labour had run a comprehensive campaign in SMSJ where they feared losing out to the Lib Dems, but in the end benefited from a Green surge which eroded support for the yellow rosette-wearing candidates and paved the way for Labour to claim a decisive victory.

Cllr McHugh added that Mr Child’s dedication “reminded people what real local communicating and organising looks like: knocking doors, building relationships, checking in on people, being present consistently over years.”

She continued: “To me, he represented what political parties are actually for at their best – creating social bonds, holding space for each other, building real community and turning up when it matters. I think about him and his impact often”.

Islington South and Finsbury MP Emily Thornberry said she had first met Mr Child 30 years ago when they both had children at William Tyndale primary school.

She told the Tribune: “He was the sort of person that is the absolute backbone of the Labour Party, and that we could not do without. He was not given to grandstanding, but had a deep belief that politics can make a difference to ordinary people’s lives and that the Labour Party, at its best, can deliver that change, both nationally and locally.”

Dame Emily recalled how the long-time campaigner “was a community politician to his bones”, and supported candidates as an “organiser and father figure”.

She said: “His death, just a few weeks before this year’s elections, was very distressing for us all. And if I’m honest, for me, it made retaining the ward of St Mary’s and St James’ all the more important. I wept when I heard the result, we had three Labour councillors again. I knew Lloyd would have been so proud.”