Keith Prince: His Rendezvous With Reality

May 7th was exhilarating for Keith. Victory made him the darling of the media. He appeared on TV and in most national newspapers. He even appeared on the front page of a prominent French newspaper. Nigal Farage and Robert Jenrick came to share the limelight. Keith proudly said that Havering was under ‘New Management’.

That was May.

Keith is a veteran politician and knows a thing or two. But he was amazed to be mugged by the MetPolice. Havering hires five officers as additional local police. In early June the cost increased to £600,000 a year. That’s a stonking £120,000 per officer per year. Keith ‘tackled’ the Mayor about it and was brushed off. He didn’t even demand evidence from the MetPolice as to how £600,000 was reached.1

On the 3rd July Keith met executives from the Essex and Suffolk Water Company, the ‘baddies’ in the Gallows Corner saga. He emerged defeated. He was helpless in the face of their shifty and evasive ‘explanations’. (see Addendum)

“Sadly, they are still unable to provide a firm completion date, and based on their updates, it looks unlikely that the junction will be fully reopened before October.”2

A gallant effort at populism was a damp squib. Keith banned the flying of the Gay Pride flag. He did it with a flourish via a video podcast outside the Town Hall. Keith was obeying a Farage edict to ban the Gay Pride flag as opposed to doing it because it was suitable for Havering. Farage is using stereotypes to drive policy. Obviously, this is ridiculous for a populist political party with gay members. The policy has failed as can be seen from successive by-elections defeats.

Amazingly there was a reaction. Havering’s Gay Pride Activists were provoked as they were meant to be. What was unexpected was that they broke into the Town Hall and erected the flag anyway.3 Gay Pride forced a score draw.

Thus far Keith has faced relative trivia. But what happens when brutal events occur and he has to upset LOTS of people? Adult and Children’s social services, homelessness, the £100m+ of government debt are menacingly going to spring into action and wreck his policies. Needless to relate Farage has nothing to say about substantive local government issues.

Addendum: Prince’s meeting with the Essex and Suffolk Water Company

“As Leader of the Council and Assembly Member for Havering and Redbridge, I have continued to pile on the pressure. Today [3rd July 2026], I met with Transport for London and Essex and Suffolk Water (ESW) to demand a clear completion date, proper answers, and firm accountability from ESW for the ongoing delays. Residents should not be left in limbo, and businesses should not be expected to keep absorbing the impact without clarity or action.

Sadly, they are still unable to provide a firm completion date, and based on their updates, it looks unlikely that the junction will be fully reopened before October. As both Council Leader and London Assembly Member for the area – I will continue to raise this directly with the Mayor of London, demand regular progress updates from both TfL and ESW, and press for stronger accountability and further compensation and support for those most affected.”

Source Living in Havering – Friday 3 July – 12hedonic@gmail.com – Gmail

Notes

  1. London Assembly (Mayor’s Question Time) from 12/06/2026 This is the clip of the Q&A Keith had with the Mayor. It’s about three minutes long. It’s hard to understand the £120,000 when you examine police pay scales Pay and benefits | Police staff | Careers | Metropolitan Police
  2. Gallows Corner is a hub junction and has been closed since June 2025. Prince continued his bombastic approach on the 7th July 2026. “Councillor Prince has given TfL until the end of October to complete the works….” Notwithstanding his utter failure at the face-to-face meeting (see above) ‘Enough Is Enough’: Havering’s Leader Councillor Keith Prince Gives TfL End Of October Deadline As Gallows Corner Delays Drag On – The Havering Daily
  3. Havering bans the Gay Pride Flag – Politics in Havering

Havering bans the Gay Pride Flag

Keith Prince banned the flying of the Gay Pride flag. This was a wonderful piece of *gesture* politics. It was free, it got ‘good’ PR and his supporters liked it. Gay Pride activists climbed onto the Town Hall roof and flew the flag anyway. One unexpected consequence is that it reveals serious weaknesses in the supposed protection that CCTV provides.

The podcast is three minutes long Reform 1: Gay Pride 1 – YouTube

Havering Councillors’ Register of Interests, 2026: Part Two

The Reform party is believed to be ‘divisive, fear-mongering and intimidating’. But probably not in Havering. However, until May 2026 many Havering councillors in their Register of Interests statements gave home addresses, employment details and much more.1 Now the Register is a ‘need-to-know’ statement.

There is a legal expectation that councillors list their employment and address. Only a well-founded fear that they will suffer violence or intimidation of them or their family over-rides this obligation. It’s implausible all 55 councillors asked for protection from violence or intimidation of them or their family. It’s so implausible it looks like a coordinated and significant attack on democratic values.

What’s going on?

Here are ten case studies1.

Robert Attree:2 He answered ‘None’ to all 12 questions. Didn’t Keith Prince explain that’s he’s now a public figure.

Malvin Brown: He’s a landlord but replied ‘Withheld’ to Q4 about property owned in Havering. A landlord without property? Is this the equivalent of a pub without beer?

Graham Day: He’s an optometrist but doesn’t say where or who he works for.

George Harwin: He’s employed but it’s a ‘secret’. Does he work for Nigel Farage?

Joe Lock: He owns land ‘outside’ Havering but none inside Havering. Does he live in Havering?

Barry Mugglestone: He’s changed his tune. Prior to May he used to say what buy-to-let property he owned but now it’s withheld. Why?

Alex Sibley: He’s a landlord who doesn’t list his property. Perhaps he’s very rich and wants to conceal it?

Angelica Ola: A young woman who allegedly hasn’t got a job or property. How does she defy economic gravity?

John Tyler: Another councillor with property which is unidentified. “Violence or intimidation” must stalk the mean streets of Cranham.

Robert Whitton: He’s a ‘Master of the Universe’ investor BUT he doesn’t own property in Havering. This is implausible. Perhaps he doesn’t live in Havering?

Discussion

Does it matter? Is it nit-picking?

Havering has 55 councillors. They were elected to work on behalf of the community and it’s very important their biases are understood. Most councillors are male, rich property owners and middle-aged or old. At least eight councillors are landlords and eleven are directors of various businesses. The electorate need this information when reviewing their substantive decisions.

How is it possible that every councillor has deliberately avoided basic questions. Are they all living in fear? Decision-making is coloured by people’s biases. Those biases are influenced by wealth, age, and their lived experiences. Councillors must put aside personal preferences to make good decisions for the community. Havering is hurtling towards bankruptcy and very difficult decisions will be made in the near future.

Councillors who base decisions on the protection of their own ‘sacred cows’ are thoughtlessly reacting. They aren’t reviewing the actuality. Reacting isn’t a policy, it’s a reliance on prejudice. Its only virtue is making powerful councillors happy.

Addendum: The right to not reveal personal details

The sensitive interests’ provisions provide for details about a registered interest to be excluded from versions of the Register of Interests available for public inspection (or published online) where a member and monitoring officer agree that the disclosure of that interest could lead to violence or intimidation of them or their family. They provide for members to disclose that they have an interest but for the details to be withheld from the public register.

Source: Simon Hoare, Letter from ‘Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, 18th March 2024 (my emphasis) This is guidance on Localism Act, 2011, Section 32.

Notes

1 I know of no example of a councillor, who revealed their address or employment details and were then subject to “Violence or intimidation”. 2 Your Councillors | London Borough of Havering You go to the councillor that you want to review and click on *Register of Interests*. This example is given because he’s the first member on the list Councillor details – Councillor Robert Attree | London Borough of Havering

Havering Councillors: Their ‘Register of Interests’ Statements, 2026

When you are first elected, co-opted, or appointed a member to your council or authority, you must, within 28 days of becoming a member, tell the monitoring officer who is responsible for your council’s or authority’s register of members’ interests about your disclosable pecuniary interests…..A person’s pecuniary interests are their business interests (for example their employment, trade, profession, contracts, or any company with which they are associated) and wider financial interests they might have (for example trust funds, investments, and assets including land and property).1 (emphasis added)

It is a criminal offence if, without a reasonable excuse, you fail to tell the monitoring officer about your disclosable pecuniary interests, either for inclusion on the register if you are a newly elected, co-opted or appointed member….2 (emphasis added)

Councillor Malvin Brown’s Register of Interests statement reads strangely.

Q1. Please state your employment or business carried out or any Partnerships or Directorships?

Answer: Landlord

Q4. Do you have any beneficial interest in land or property in Havering?

Answer: Residential address withheld – Localism Act 2011, section 32A.

He says his employment or business is ‘Landlord’ in answer to Q1. Yet he says that he doesn’t own land3 or have a beneficial interest in ‘land or property’ Q4 apart from his house. This is implausible and should be challenged by the Section 151 officer.

Councillor Martynas Cekavicius is also interesting.

Q11. Do you hold membership of bodies influencing Public Opinion or Policy?

Answer:

Member, Gidea Park & District Civic Society–
Member, Emerson Park and Ardleigh Green Residents’ Association

Martynas belongs to a Residents Association but according to his answer to Q4 he doesn’t own land. Once again, this is strange. Belonging to a Residents Association is typically the activity of houseowners. This too should be probed to reassure voters that he has fulfilled his legal duty of candour.

Councillor Robert Attree’s ‘answers’ are odd. There are 12 questions in the Register of Interests document, which he is legally bound to answer truthfully. He has replied to all 12 questions ‘None’.4 Robert appears to be an elderly man and it’s unlikely that he doesn’t own his residence, which could make difficulties with Q4. Alternatively, he might not live in Havering, which again is problematic.

Conclusion

This isn’t nit-picking. If councillors can’t fulfil their legal obligations by accurately filling out a very simple form then that is worrying. What else can’t they do? These three councillors are part of the story. They are a sample from 55 councillors that were elected on May 7th 2026. Every Register of Interests statement should be reviewed with a critical eye as opposed to being mindlessly accepted as truthful and accurate.

Notes

1Title This is the government’s guidance for councillors

2 loc.cit

3 That is, other than his personal residential property

4 Your Councillors | London Borough of Havering Every councillor is to be found on this site.

Havering Council Meeting, 27th May 2026

Keith Prince’s Debut Speech as Leader of the Council

Keith is a veteran politician who’s a GLA member. This heightens expectations. So, when he did a *Memory Lane* about being born in Elm Park, I was puzzled. His jog-trot through Junior and Secondary schools was bizarre. It was as if he was overwhelmed. Keith didn’t tell us about his triumphs as a window monitor or school prefect, which was a relief.

My despair deepened by his claim to friendship with Ray Morgon. Keith said he was *Mayor*.1 Dear, oh dear! Where was all this going? It felt like a train crash.

Keith established that he’s an Essex Boy.2 The unspoken statement was that unlike Andrew Rosindell, Keith was the *Real Thing*.3 Andrew was born after Havering was created and is, therefore, a Londoner. Keith had his political steel toe-capped boots on and promptly began using them. He denounced the ludicrous Hexit obsessions of Andrew who wants Havering to leave London and join Essex. Keith’s Reform council wouldn’t spend any time on this.

Keith went further. He said that Hexit would be a very expensive for the people of Havering. (Did I hear silent regret for the Brexit fiasco?) Keith said he’d be using his political energy working to elect a Reform GLA Mayor. This was sly because Andrew is a failed Mayoral candidate.

Reading between the lines, there was more. Keith doesn’t want Andrew to think that he is calling the shots in the Town Hall. Keith wants to be master in his own domain. And! Keith is in power and Andrew is merely a political influencer. There’s a world of difference between being a ‘mover and shaker’ and someone shouting from the sidelines.

Keith said that he has a 100-day plan in his pocket. I’ll be counting the days and looking for the accomplishments. Or not.

Addendum

Keith might want to consider these trivialities for his 100-days plan:

  1. The Waterloo Estate fiasco
  2. Launders Lane contaminated land and air pollution
  3. The data centre on Green Belt Land
  4. £272M of debt to the government at 6%

OR

  • He could stick with gesture politics, like putting the boot into Gay Pride Month

Notes

1 His speech begins at 1 hour 16 minutes. Go to 1:19:33 in the webcast Annotator Player Morgon was also a ‘friend’ by the way.

2 First mention 1:16:53 A very early signal which I should have picked up.

3 Keith begins putting the boot in at 1:24

Havering’s Revolution ~ Is Keith Prince Superman?

For Havering’s Reform party to succeed, Keith Prince needs to be ‘Superman’. Havering is bankrupt. It faces financial pressures which are horrifying. Keith will have to the square the circle that is Reform’s desire for radical change and the pressures preventing change. Nonetheless:

Keith’s ‘Revolution’ gives him (1) opportunities as well as (2) headaches

(1) Revolutions demand Radical change, and

(2) Central government’s iron fist over local finance.

Opportunities

What do Reform councillors “Really, really want?1 Keith knows Farage’s motormouth slogans are nonsense. Havering can’t ‘Stop the Boats”.  Keith can’t magic Havering out of London to fulfil the ludicrous ‘Hexit’ policy. And, Havering’s Reform councillors can’t vote Starmer out of Downing Street.

Keith must keep his 36 new councillors on board. He must keep thousands of Reform voters on board. What is he going to do? Keith is a class act. He’s been a councillor since 1990. He’s also a senior member of the GLA. This means he knows Mayor Khan very well and politics is the art of adroit compromises. Keith and Mayor Khan might not love each other but they can cooperate. Always assuming it works for all concerned.

Doing what is doable is the centrepiece of political agendas. Keith needs cheap, flashy policies that hit the button. Reform voters like flags. Why not have a flag budget for public buildings like libraries? This would be mocked but would work if the book budget was significantly increased. £50,000 should be enough. Reform vigorously opposed library closures and this would be a statement of difference.

The kiss of electoral death is,

‘Everything is different but nothing has changed.’

Headaches

Havering is bankrupt. HRA borrowed £100m+ to ‘Balance’ the books. That is as stupid as it sounds. But if the government don’t forgive the debt, the taxi meter is clicking along at 6% p.a., which is compounded. This could destroy Keith’s ambitions for a Reform revolution.

The intractable problem is the budget for Adult and Children’s Services. Both are demand led, making for budget instability. Someone is going to have to be very clever to cope with this. And this takes us to the principal headache for Keith.

Inexperienced councillors! Keith’s biggest fear is that his new team is ‘captured’ by officers who impose (ever so nicely) their agenda. His experience gives him a fighting chance of being able to spot talent. People willing to work hard, command detail and do politics.

The Revolution begins….

Note

1 really really want lyrics – Search Amazingly the lyrics of this song reveal Keith’s problem.

Addendum: Turnout increased in every single ward

• Beam Park – 32.63% (2022: 30.8%)

• Cranham – 54.49% (40.83%) (HRA win)

• Elm Park – 47.56% (35.51%)

• Emerson Park – 52.7% (41.11%)

• Gooshays – 35.2% (23.46%)

• Hacton – 51.23% (41.2%)

• Harold Wood – 48.19% (35.6%)

• Havering-atte-Bower – 42.14% (29.16%)

• Heaton – 32.2% (lowest – Reform win) (23.79%)

• Hylands & Harrow Lodge – 50.81% (37.83%)

• Marshalls and Rise Park – 51.8% (41.13)

• Mawneys – 45.03% (33.56)

• Rainham & Wennington – 44.97% (35.12%)

• Rush Green – 39.95% (32.84%)

• South Hornchurch – 42.6% (31.8%)

• Squirrels Heath – 49.78% (38.54%)

• St Alban’s – 43.95% (36.84%)

• St Andrew’s – 50.52% (38.98%)

• St Edward’s – 42.32% (32.87)

• Upminster – 56% (highest – HRA win) (42.3%)

Source Local Election 2026 Results | London Borough of Havering and Local Elections 2022: Havering Council live results | London Borough of Havering