Iraq War hero Will Blackburn, who served as an officer in the Territorial Army during the immediate aftermath of the invasion in 2003, is the Conservative candidate for the Tulse Hill Ward by-election on Thursday 1st July. Voters demanded an immediate by-election after a newly re-elected Labour councillor was arrested and bailed, by a specialist unit of the Metropolitan Police, on allegations of downloading material from pay-for-view child abuse pornography web sites. The Labour councillor had resigned after just 17 days in office — a new record for Lambeth.

Will, aged 40,  moved to Tulse Hill in 2002 and joined the Territorial Army through the depot at Tulse Hill. Shortly afterwards he was mobilised to Iraq during the allied coalition operation to bring democracy to the Iraqi people. On completing his tour of duty in April 2004, Will returned to working in software publishing and now concentrates on using technology to deliver savings and efficiency in local government throughout the United Kingdom.

Will, a resident of Helix Road in Tulse Hill, says: “My work with local government has encouraged me to get involved in local politics and gives me an insight into how the environment and housing stock in Tulse Hill could be improved. I am a fighter and will work as hard for people in Tulse Hill in peace time as I did in the armed forces in time of war.”

Conservative Leader on Lambeth Council Cllr John Whelan says: “Will will be a great  Lambeth councillor with a fine record of service to his country and the community.  We hope the residents of Tulse Hill will trust Will to deliver — given that he will have access to the new Conservative led government and the Mayor of London.”

Cllr John Whelan, Cllr Evans-Jacas and Streatham Parliamentary Candidate Rahoul Bhansali

Labour smears directed at a new Conservative councillor in Brixton who converted to the Tories collapsed in shame today, exposing Labour as the “nasty party” of South London.

Labour Leader of the Council Steve Reed alleged at a Lambeth Council meeting on October 21, and on his personal blog and Twitter account, that the Conservatives had allegedly “bought a seat on the Council” by promising Councilor Betty Evans-Jacas a huge increase in her allowances on the London Fire Authority. It was a false allegation with no evidence.

Today, the now Conservative-controlled London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority voted in new appointments scheme recognising proportionality between the parties without making any change in special responsibility allowances for Councillor Evans-Jacas.

In the meantime, ex Labour Lambeth Mayor Lloyd Leon, a stalwart community activist in Brixton since the 1980s, has reported the Leader of the Council to the Lambeth Standards Committee, which upholds standards in public life. Additionally, Fabian Wells, Chair, South London Black Business Association, has also publicly slammed Labour attempts to brand Cllr Evans-Jacas as a “scab,” which he says equates with the even more derogatory expression of “black leg.”

Conservative Leader in Lambeth Councillor John Whelan says: “Labour has lost all moral compass and lets itself down by making libelous and defamatory allegations that have no foundation.  I also fear that the Leader of the Council is out of touch with his elected members.  We can expect more of the remaining back bench Labour councillors to reconsider their futures in coming weeks.  Watch this virtual space.”

The events started on October 9 when Councillor Evans-Jacas resigned from the Labour Party and applied for the Conservative Whip.

“It sparked a ferocious attack on her by the Labour Party,” says Conservative Leader Councillor John Whelan.  “I have now seen the text of a letter written by former Labour Mayor Lloyd Leon expressing his disgust at this abuse which calls for disciplinary action by the Council through the Chief Monitoring Officer.  Lloyd recalls a previous occasion from the 1980s when a councillor changed allegiance — the political parties show respect and constraint.  Sadly, this is lacking in today’s Labour Party which has lost all sense of moral compass.”

Now for change: Michael Poole-Wilson for Prince's

Lambeth Conservatives have chosen experienced local campaigner Michael Poole-Wilson to fight the Prince’s Ward by-election on June 4th.  Michael has lived in Kennington since 2002.

He is active in the community, has served as a school governor since 2006 at Lansdowne, a special school in Lambeth, and campaigned vigorously against cuts at St Thomas’s hospital (where both his parents once worked).

Michael works as a solicitor and is passionate about civil liberties – opposing authoritarian government policies on ID cards and detention without charge.

Gipsy Hill councillors Graham Pycock & Suzanne Poole on Crystal Palace Parade

Crystal Palace residents living in Lambeth are missing out on possible new community projects because Lambeth Council is not sending a representative to meetings of a charity, according to Gipsy Hill Councillor Andrew Gibson.

Lambeth has failed to send a representative to meetings of the Crystal Palace Community Development Trust – which helps set up and funds community projects such as luncheon clubs for the elderly – for more than a year.

The charity works across the five boroughs surrounding Crystal Palace Park and provides tens of thousands of pounds a year in funding for local projects.  Without a Lambeth Council representative to fight for projects in the borough, Gipsy Hill and Knights Hill residents might miss out.

Andrew says:  “The Trust plays an important role in a community that spans five boroughs and it is important for Lambeth to play its part.

“I have asked the Council to make a commitment to help residents in Crystal Palace.  I am pleased that Labour councillors have now agreed to hold a meeting with its members to discuss how they can work together in the future and will be monitoring the results.”

Lambeth Council's irresponsible advert

Labour-run Lambeth Council has been slammed for encouraging residents to join the electoral register to apply for a credit card.  The adverts have been sited on busy streets across the borough just as the credit crunch kicks in for many people with a reduction in wages and job losses.

Conservative councillors have supported efforts to increase the number of residents who are signed up to vote in elections, but this latest advertising campaign is insensitive and the wrong way to promote the importance of registration.

Councillor John Whelan, Conservative Group Leader, says:  “Given the credit crunch it is grossly irresponsible for Lambeth Council to try and bolster the electoral register by encouraging more people to apply for credit cards.  It is morally wrong that the Council is inviting people to take on more debt when people are losing their jobs every day and rents are going up for council tenants by £12 a week.  Whoever produced this advertisement should be fired.”

CLICK HERE to find out how to sign up to vote in Lambeth and download a copy of the registration form.