Councillor McAsh defects to the Greens

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

Probably more helpful to ask simply whether McCash was affiliated with the Greens before becoming a Labour councillor. Trying to explain your thought process and unravel your fevered imagination (particularly when it comes to local politica) is the kind of thing that might require several years of psychoanalysis.

[David Peckham]

I wonder whether his political epiphany and renaissance will stretch to him using his real name - James Ashworth-McLintock - rather than the more proletarian 'McAsh'.

To my mind, the only people who should have self-bestowed mononyms are very talented Brazilian footballers - Pele, Kaka, Ronaldinho - very talented female pop icons - Madonna, Shakira, Sonia - or Russian revolutionaries - Lenin, Stalin, Trotsky.

Sonia's greatest hits compilation, 'Greatest Hits', is out now on vinyl & CD through PWL Recordings.

[Suggsy]

3 hours ago, Rockets said:

 

Why do I think he had an affiliation with the Greens before he became a Labour councillor? Or did I imagine that?

Yup. Student politics. https://bright-green.org/2012/04/09/democracy-and-direct-action-an-interview-with-edinburgh-universitys-new-student-president-james-mcash/

[Rockets]

Ah that was it....

When you realise politicians are only ever in it for themselves then everything starts to make sense.

 

[ianr]

13 hours ago, Rockets said:

Ah that was it....

When you realise politicians are only ever in it for themselves then everything starts to make sense.

 

Have you ever considered your own motivations?

[Rockets]

Ha ha, @ianr maybe I am more sceptical towards politicians than others as my dad insisted I watched Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister and read Private Eye in my younger years! It opened my eyes to politicians and how they will flip flop to suit their own personal goals!

One does wonder if Cllr McAsh would have made the same "principled" jump to the Greens if he had not had his Labour career knee-capped by Labour HQ over the leadership of the council.....

[Sue]

8 minutes ago, Rockets said:

Ha ha, @ianr maybe I am more sceptical towards politicians than others as my dad insisted I watched Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister and read Private Eye in my younger years! It opened my eyes to politicians and how they will flip flop to suit their own personal goals!

One does wonder if Cllr McAsh would have made the same "principled" jump to the Greens if he had not had his Labour career knee-capped by Labour HQ over the leadership of the council.....

We may never know, but does it actually matter?

[Rockets]

@Sue of course it matters - 100% it matters. He was an elected official who asked the electorate to entrust the running of a local ward to him as a Labour councillor, under Labour's mandate. He also held a senior position within the Labour local leadership team. Suddenly he leaves and jumps to a political rival and gives his previous political party both barrels.

This is why many people distrust all politicians and things like this just goes to confirm that.

[first mate]

23 hours ago, ianr said:

Have you ever considered your own motivations?

I don't really understand the question in this context? I mean, yes, most of us are motivated by a degree of self interest but Rockets is not standing for election as a local councillor( is he?), nor did he stand for leadership of the Council, so in that sense does not have the power or influence to significantly affect thousands of voter lives. 

[Sue]

1 hour ago, Rockets said:

@Sue of course it matters - 100% it matters. He was an elected official who asked the electorate to entrust the running of a local ward to him as a Labour councillor, under Labour's mandate. He also held a senior position within the Labour local leadership team. Suddenly he leaves and jumps to a political rival and gives his previous political party both barrels.

This is why many people distrust all politicians and things like this just goes to confirm that.

I trust people who act  according to their convictions regardless of what other people might think.

I don't trust people  who stick with things which no longer feel right for them.

I was once a fully paid up member of the Labour party, and went to local meetings.

Along with a number of other people I know, I left the Labour party and  no longer go to local meetings.

The Labour party has moved a long way to the right, and the Green party now represents much of what Labour used to stand for.

I don't think "political rivalry" has anything to do with it. I find that a very strange choice of words.

[CPR Dave]

He's not acting according to his convictions though, he's acting entirely according to his own ambition and self interest. 

I'd be very concerned if I was a parent of a child in the Primary School he teaches at. His new party advocate teaching primary school children how to use crack cocaine and heroin: https://metro.co.uk/2026/02/21/green-party-says-primary-school-children-should-be-taught-to-take-drugs-safely-27031825/

 

Anyway, I feel we will finally be well rid of him. I don't believe he will stand in this ward. He will have a much better chance of election in Nunhead and Queens Road.

[Rockets]

22 minutes ago, Sue said:

I don't think "political rivalry" has anything to do with it. I find that a very strange choice of words.

Err, are you saying that the Greens are not a political rival to Labour?

22 minutes ago, Sue said:

I trust people who act  according to their convictions regardless of what other people might think.

Funny how those convictions only come to light when many politicians don't get what they want....do you honestly think that Cllr McAsh would have defected had he been allowed to lead Southwark council? Absolutely 1000% not.

[Blah Blah]

The Greens are knocking on the door of Labour in a few wards, so yes, there is some voter swing in play from some local canvassing. Elected officials jumping ship is nothing new. Political careerism is also nothing new. On a local level, all candidates for election start as committed party political activists. That's how they get selected to stand. But politics is also a long game. Far better to stay and be part of any swing when it inevitably comes (as it always does), than to close the door altogether imo. I think James failing to become leader probably was the key factor in his decision, but leaving for another party effectively means there is no way back. Maybe he is going to work himself into the future leadership of the Greens instead. Time will tell. 

Edited to add that while I can understand why former Labour supporters feel disillusioned with the current government (both local and national), it's important to remember how bad things were under the last one and the coalition before it. It's going to take time for any government to rebuild the economy and pay down the national debt.

Edited 8 hours ago by Blah Blah
To add a comment

[Sue]

32 minutes ago, Rockets said:

Err, are you saying that the Greens are not a political rival to Labour?

Funny how those convictions only come to light when many politicians don't get what they want....do you honestly think that Cllr McAsh would have defected had he been allowed to lead Southwark council? Absolutely 1000% not.

 

Well I don't know, and nor do you.

Sitting MPs change their parties.

[Rockets]

9 minutes ago, Sue said:

Sitting MPs change their parties.

Especially when their careers in their current party come to a grinding halt!

[CPR Dave]

This move won't advance his career in Southwark. He'll have to leave the cabinet now for a couple of months and won't get back on it in May. He might win a council seat but the Greens won't win control of the council and Labour won't have him anywhere near the levers of power.

His only (and presumably intended) route for advancement will be for the Greens to offer him PCC seat somewhere in the general election in 2029. By then the Greens will be toast. They might even be finished by this Friday if they don't win the Gorton by-election. 

[Penguin68]

I suppose I'd assume that Councillor McCash, who is, as I recall, a self-confessed revolutionary Marxist, had hoped to take Southwark Labour down his chosen route - when he lost his leadership bid he must then have been looking for a party which shared his ultra-left views (ultra-left at least in the light of Starmer's interpretation of socialism). The Greens, for him, clearly fit that role.

After that his timing was all about benefiting his chosen (new) party - at least he didn't stand for Labour and then defect giving the Greens an unexpected 3 year seat.

As someone who doesn't share the wings of his political position I don't wish him well (politically) - but neither do I wish him ill as a 'punishment' for his defection.

 

Edited 8 hours ago by Penguin68

[Administrator]

Please keep discussion on-topic, so related to local politics.

I have removed some recent posts which were solely about national party politics. Please keep this to The Lounge.

[CPR Dave]

Sorry if that was me.

I felt the context of their wider aims and policies was relevant to the decision of our local incumbent representative to join the Greens.

After all, the excuses he gives for jumping ships are blamed on national party politics and not on local issues. 

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

5 hours ago, CPR Dave said:

I'd be very concerned if I was a parent of a child in the Primary School he teaches at. His new party advocate teaching primary school children how to use crack cocaine and heroin: https://metro.co.uk/2026/02/21/green-party-says-primary-school-children-should-be-taught-to-take-drugs-safely-27031825/

I don't care particularly for McAsh, the Greens or their drugs policy, but this "Greens will feed your children crack at school" stuff from the Daily Mail is just hysterical nonsense. Labour should be ashamed for seeding it - and the Mail doesn't know any better.

Meanwhile, I can't remember the exact Tweet I saw recently but it was something like "some people who believe all politicians are out to enrich themselves only say that because they can't imagine serving their community for its own sake".

The idea that serving as a local councillor (including dealing with the public, internal party politics - which is always the most vicious where the stakes are lowest, and plenty of unpaid prep work) is a great pathway for careerists and moneygrabbers is utter shite. On a per hour basis you'd be far better off working at Sainsbos.

[CPR Dave]

The local councillor in question took home £50,172.71 in allowances and expenses in 23/24 on top of his full time salary as a teacher (which includes several weeks paid holiday). https://www.southwark.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2024-12/Member allowances 2023-24 - individual figures.pdf

 

I'm sure many hard working people at Sainsbury's would be delighted to make quite so much money.

[DuncanW]

54 minutes ago, CPR Dave said:

The local councillor in question took home £50,172.71 in allowances and expenses in 23/24 on top of his full time salary as a teacher (which includes several weeks paid holiday). https://www.southwark.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2024-12/Member allowances 2023-24 - individual figures.pdf

 

Thanks for the link Dave. For clarity, the document shows that he receives the standard basic allowance all councillors get and a Senior Responsibility Allowance commensurate with the post he held. He claims no other allowance or any expenses as far as I can see... which makes me wonder what your point might be?

[CPR Dave]

My point was in response to this: 

"The idea that serving as a local councillor (including dealing with the public, internal party politics - which is always the most vicious where the stakes are lowest, and plenty of unpaid prep work) is a great pathway for careerists and moneygrabbers is utter shite. On a per hour basis you'd be far better off working at Sainsbos."

 

You could give up your job at sainsbury's and do a councillor's work and be very much better off. Most of these councillors earn this sort of money and still have full time jobs on the side.