Ray Morgon created the Havering Residents’ Association (HRA).1 They filled the power vacuum left by the Conservatives in 2022. Ray’s still in power in 2026.
The political comedy show ‘Carry on Defecting’ began immediately.
Sarah Edwards, Jacqueline McArdle and Sue Ospreay joined HRA a few weeks after being elected as Conservatives. The voters of Rainham weren’t consulted.
Jacqueline McArdle changed her mind and re-joined the Conservatives.
Phillip Ruck left HRA creating a new political party2 with John Tyler. The voters of Cranham weren’t consulted.
Paul McGeary left Labour and joined HRA. He got a transfer fee via a £25,000 cabinet position.
Robby Misir joined HRA after many years as a Conservative councillor. The voters of Marshalls and Rise Park weren’t consulted.
Christine Smith joined HRA from the Conservatives, without consulting her Hylands and Harrow Lodge voters
Keith Prince did ’Double-Bubble’. He joined Reform UK from the Conservatives. In one deft move he changed Squirrels Heath AND the GLA Havering and Redbridge constituency into Reform UK. Two defections for the price of one! Not everyone can do that.
Christine Vickery, also Squirrels Heath, joined Reform from the Conservatives. The only explanation was a TV opportunity with Nigel Farage.
Robert Benham, Rush Green and Crowlands, defected with Christine to Reform also from the Conservatives. He too had 15 minutes of fame and glory.
Parliament
Andrew Rosindell joined Reform in January 2026 after 25 years as a Conservative MP. His Reform constituency office is in Margaret Thatcher House, Romford just as it was when he was a Conservative.3 So, no change there then.
Politics in Havering
This is the 360th weekly blog about Havering’s politics and it’s still difficult to understand the complexity of the political scene. Virtually none of the ‘political’ action is political in any meaningful way. There are six political groups for 55 councillors.4 Eleven councillors, the GLA member and Romford’s MP have defected during the last four years. No by-elections have been called. Meanwhile the borough is bankrupt. This hasn’t been caused by stupidity but by inexorable financial pressures. Looming on the horizon are Farage’s opportunistic acolytes with their ludicrous Elon Musk version of his ‘thinking’.5
The democratic deficit is alive and well in Havering.
Addendum: Andrew Rosindell ~ Definitely, Maybe
Six weeks after Andrew’s defection he is still advertising the Conservative message. Perhaps he’ll follow Jacquline McArdle and change his mind? Perhaps he’s waiting for Farage’s millionaire sponsors to fund the dismantling? Who knows?
Notes
1 HRA = Havering Residents Association
2 Cranham Residents Association Independent Group
3 Andrew Rosindell: The Cuckoo in the Nest? – Politics in Havering
4 Eleven is 20% of the total council.
5 This is a decent example of his ‘thinking’;
Reform would “attempt” not to borrow more if it took control of the cash-strapped Havering Council, Nigel Farage says. Reform Would Attempt Not To Borrow If It Takes Control Of Havering. – The Havering Daily
Politics in Havering 