Tag: Reform Party

Havering Council Meeting, 2nd September 2026 (part two)

Motions1

Introduction

Keith Prince (1 hour 44 minutes) did an accurate and tedious nit-picking dissection of the *RULE BOOK*. He enjoys nit-picking. No-one else does.

Motion A: Everyone agreed that Havering, “limit excessive private profits in children’s residential social care across the UK, in alignment with Scotland.”

Motion B: “This Council agrees not to spend valuable council resources on a referendum to leave London.”

Andrew Rosindell was a dark cloud looming over Reform councillors, keeping them on ‘message’. True Believers affirmed their commitment, though some were more slippery than others – step forward, Bailey Nash-Gardner (1:54), Luke Barry (1:55), and Gary Payne (2:02).

The motion introduced a fierce Gillian Ford (1:51), which was refreshing. Cut-and-thrust is always appreciated when it is done well. Three Reform councillors indulged themselves in jeering, which was really a bullying tactic.

Motion C: “Council recognises that adverse childhood experiences, trauma and other life events can affect a resident’s ability to engage with support services, sustain tenancies, maintain employment and participate fully in community life.”

The Reform Group’s Amendment was insane, “Council calls upon the Executive Leadership Team to support the Cabinet in achieving these outcomes.”  (my emphasis)

The Reform Administration asked the Executive Team to cooperate with the policies of councillors. Asked! Keith Prince’s Administration obviously has a strange relationship with the Executive Leadership Team. Councillors agree policies, which must be implemented by the Executive Leadership Team.

Keith worries that the Executive Leadership Team can refuse councillor policies. The Executive Team must follow instructions. If they refuse, they must resign or demand written, legally binding, instructions. Those instructions act as a legal statement that the Executive Leadership Team were under duress and acting in opposition to their professional advice.

Apart from this insanity, the debate was wonderful. There was cross-party agreement on the importance of the motion. Matt Stanton (2:08), Graham Day (2:11) and Keith Prince (2:17) referenced known experiences which added to the texture of the debate. If there is indeed a ‘joined up response’ and recognition of the ‘ecosystem’ of support following this debate, Council can congratulate itself.

Motion D: “Commends the new Administration for their firm and determined action to tackle the ongoing fires, smoke and pollution from Arnold’s Field, Launder’s Lane, and the impact on residents in Rainham.”

This was Stalinist self-congratulation.

Best Motion: Motion C

Best Speech: Gillian Ford

Note

1 (Public Pack)Agenda Document for Council, 02/09/2026 19:00 Motions in full For the webcast Annotator Player All times refer to this site

Andrew Rosindell and Nigel Farage

Andrew Rosindell and Nigel Farage are chalk and cheese. Yet in January 2026 Andrew joined Reform. This was probably because of the shock he received in 2024 when his huge majority evaporated. He believes Nigel’s charisma will carry him over the line in 2029. Meanwhile Nigel’s political opportunism and financial wheeling and dealing carry on. They are at odds over everything about political life but need each other.

Andrew and Nigel: An Odd Couple – YouTube This video is 3 minutes long

Keith Prince’s First 100 Days: 8th May-16th August 2026

Keith’s Reform Party had a landslide victory on May 7th. This destroyed the Conservative/Resident Association grip on Havering. Political geeks were enthralled by this stunning event. Keith triumphantly announced a ‘100 days of action’ to define the scale of his victory.

What has happened since May 8th?

Keith was national and international news. Farage and Jenrick came to share his glory. Keith said they would ‘Hit the ground running’; they were, ‘New management’ and had ‘a plan’.

Significantly he trashed Andrew Rosindell’s obsession that Havering should leave London. July’s Council meeting had two Reform Motions.1 They opposed the Climate Change Emergency and the ULEZ. Both Motions were nonsense. The Climate Change Emergency policy was impractical and the ULEZ is a ship which has sailed.

Keith uses the media expertly. He has produced many videos giving a running commentary. This use of social media is welcome.

Reform has no policies on core Council activities.2 Government loans continue to balloon with an inevitable(?) bankruptcy looming. Reform needs policies for their ‘New Management’ of the Adult and Children’s services and Homelessness budgets. They are 70% of the total budget.Contaminated land at Launders Lane is intractable but the festering sore of the Waterloo Estate is moving towards a solution.3 Finance is difficult to explain but Reform should have made an effort by now.

Reform hints at a pro-business regeneration policy. This is provocative for Havering’s NIMBY voters.4 Regeneration usually generates outrage. 24 years of Conservative/RA negativity is integral to Havering’s DNA. The electorate want,

Change but everything to stay the same

Notes

1 Motions.pdf For a full critique see Havering Council Meeting, 22nd July 2026 (part two) – Politics in Havering

2 Prince summarises his 100 days plan like this: “[The plan sets] the tone for how we will work: listening to residents, making sensible decisions, reviewing the Council’s finances, strengthening governance and focusing on the everyday issues people care about…” The remainder of the article avoids the financial challenges the borough faces despite the implicit promise.

Source Havering Council Leader Promises Change as First 100 Days Focus on Crime, Fires and Council Finances. – The Havering Daily

3 Both of are part of the poisoned chalice Keith has inherited. Source ROMFORD SET FOR 100+ NEW HOMES: Major Waterloo And Queen Street Project Moves Ahead. – The Havering Daily

4 Most councillors are NIMBY and oppose everything. This is especially the case with housing developments where only 3-bed semis are acceptable seemingly.

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

Andrew Rosindell ~ Parting is such sweet sorrow

Margaret Thatcher House1 83 days AFTER Andrew defected to Reform

Q1) Are the Conservatives hoping Andrew will return to save them on May 7th?

Or,

Q2) Are they too broke to remove Andrew’s legacy?

Addendum: Evicted from Margaret Thatcher House

Andrew lost his legal bid to retain his office2 in Margaret Thatcher House BUT amazingly the House of Commons says nothing has changed:

Constituency office

Margaret Thatcher House
85 Western Road
Romford
RM1 3LS

Notes

1 This is Conservative Party Head Quarters. Photos taken on 7th April 2026

2 Source Contact information for Andrew Rosindell – MPs and Lords – UK Parliament Accessed 8th April 2026

Havering’s Council Meeting, 18th March 2026

Question Time (QT)1

Question one2 was a political question! Michael White (25 minutes) asked about Havering joining Essex. He was digging out Andrew Rosindell and his Reform UK party.Apart from flags, Andrew is obsessed by the ‘Evil Empire’ that is London. Ray Morgon eagerly joined in, listing the inescapable advantages that the GLA brings Havering. Michael concluded by saying that leaving London was “a risk too far”. Ray was only too pleased to agree.

QT went downhill after this

Questions 3 and 6 were identical (33 and 39). Barry Mugglestone realised that giving identical answers was ridiculous. It didn’t stop him.3 Irony isn’t Barry’s strong suit.  He likes being the centre of attention at whatever cost to his dignity.

There were eleven questions for Barry out of 15. QT is a golden opportunity for councillors, but they don’t use it to any good purpose. Red hot topics are ignored. The East Havering Data Centre was unquestioned even though the three HRA ward councillors oppose it. This includes two councillors who are cabinet members. They haven’t resigned. Then there’s the multi-million pounds loan from government. How much has Havering borrowed this year, what’s the repayment period, and at what ruinous interest rate? No-one was interested.

Keith Prince (35) asked Q4 about mislabeling staff agency costs as telephone expenses.4 The amount was £262,000. Apparently ‘mistakes’ happen and ‘lessons have been learned’. Keith accepted this. This is amazing. The ‘mistake’ is so bizarre it needs a vivid imagination to think how it could have been made. Keith’s fatal lack of probing curiosity is characteristic of councillors who literally don’t know how to do scrutiny. Everything is accepted at face value regardless of how ludicrous.

The 2022-26 HRA Council finished with a whimper.

Notes

1 (Public Pack)Agenda Document for Council, 18/03/2026 19:30 p325 for all printed questions See Annotator Player for the webcast All times relate to this webcast

2 Can the Administration please confirm which services will be lost and what the approximate financial impact would be on the Borough should Havering withdraw from the Greater London Authority area? It shouldn’t be forgotten that Andrew tried, and failed, to become the Conservative Mayoral candidate.

3 Groundhog Day – Wikipedia

4 In the interests of transparency can the Leader explain why, who and what amount is being referred to in the Standard article which says Havering Council has tagged payments to one of its recruitment and workforce suppliers as “telephone expenses”.