Cllr Ilkay Cinko-Oner: ‘I feel great’

A THIRD Labour councillor has quit the party to sit as an independent.

Ilkay Cinko-Oner, who represents Laycock ward, handed in her resignation the day before last week’s general election, and told the Tribune: “It feels like a whole weight has been lifted off [her] shoulders. There are some amazing councillors, but it’s just the politics of the party, the way the party is going with Keir Starmer is not one that I want to be part of.”

Her decision will not make any difference to Labour’s political grip on Islington Council as the party has a dominant majority.

But an independent corner is emerging in the council chamber.

“The party is not one where I feel represented,” said Cllr Cinko-Oner. “It has abandoned the work­ing class, the unions, the students, any grassroots organisations.”

She cited Labour’s response to Gaza, its treatment of Jeremy Corbyn, The Sun’s endorsement, and Mr Starmer singling out Bangladesh in comments about immigration as among her reasons for quitting the party.

She said: “I really believed that you could change from within. But I think that those who have tried to change from within have been outcast, so I don’t believe that Labour will allow change to happen from within.”

Cllr Asima Shaikh

Initially the Laycock councillor had planned to wait until this week to resign, but said that when she woke up last Wednesday morning she felt compelled to hand in her resignation immediately.

Cllr Cinko-Oner, having emailed the members, then went to canvass in Finsbury Park for Mr Corbyn in his successful bid to be re-elected as Islington North’s MP.

She said: “I went out actively on Thursday, and I was there from 10.30am until the very end of canvassing, and I never felt happier.”

Asked whether there will be a further split within the party, Cllr Cinko-Oner said: “I don’t know. Everyone has their own personal reason to remain in the party, and no one can judge them for that. I think there will be a split. I don’t know if it will be locally or nationally, but I think the Labour Party needs to have a look at itself.”

Cllr Cinko-Oner joins Cllr Asima Shaikh and Cllr Matt Nathan who are both sitting as independent councillors, having resigned from Labour in the past 18 months.

Meanwhile, Councillor Phil Graham was suspended from the Labour Party after openly backing Jeremy Corbyn’s campaign.

Cllr Matt Nathan

Cllr Cinko-Oner said: “Watch this space with the independents. We are in discussions. The three other councillors are amazing.” She was including Cllr Graham in her comment.

Labour once held every seat in the chamber bar one, but now faces three Green councillors.

“I think there’s going to be a bit more that they will have to be trans­parent about, and pay attention,” Cllr Cinko-Oner said of Labour.

She added that, as an independent, she would continue to act in the best interests of her residents, and call for an end to the conflict in Gaza.

“I will continue going on my demonstrations, I will continue going on my boycotts, and I will continue to call for peace, and I will do as much as I possibly can to show that I actually care,” she said.

Labour leader Councillor Kaya Comer-Schwartz said: “We are saddened that Cllr Cinko-Oner has resigned from the Labour Party and, as a result, from Islington Labour group.

“Cllr Cinko-Oner has been a great champion of Laycock residents as a ward councillor since being elected and has been a fantastic migrants’ champion, advocating for Islington’s migrant communities at every opportunity.

“We were all elected on the same manifesto in May 2022, and I hope that she will continue to work with us to deliver for Islington’s residents and create a more equal Islington.”