As Newham’s Labour Council faces the prospect of two new Green Party councillors, its first such challenge in more than 15 years, Simeon Ademolake recalls his experience of being elected in 2006.

Winning an election against the Labour party in Canning Town South in 2006 was tough. Winning as a black Christian democrat was an unimaginable exercise. However, it was the most remarkable achievement of my life. By this one singular victory, I achieved two notable historical records: I was the first black opposition councillor in Newham and the first black Christian Democratic councillor in British electoral history.

Sir Robin Wales was the Labour mayor. He seemed to regard the emergence of opposition as personal failure and as a result became very aggressive towards all of us. The councillors then were made up of six opposition and 54 Labour councillors. The six opposition were three Respect Party and three Christian Peoples Alliance Party.

Labour addressed and treated us as separatists. We were accused of dividing the community, denying and ignoring the fact that our election was as a result of deep craving, yearning and desperate demand of Newham people for effective opposition, and change due to Labour disappointments and failures.

Newham Labour Councillors acted as though it was a sin to be anti-Labour, especially the die hards. Sitting with 54 Labour councillors in the council chambers was the most dreadful experience of my life at the beginning.

The majority of the councillors treated me as an outcast. They acted as though the Borough belonged to them and challenged my right to win through their negative and unfriendly action. They ignored greetings, hand shakes, eye contact and arrogantly shouted us down in the council meeting.

I remember an incident where I was punched by one of the Labour councillors after a council meeting. My offence was that I asked the Mayor an “unacceptable question” during the meeting. I could not fathom the level of outrage from such a highly decorated community leader, cabinet member and a long standing councillor. It was the most shocking experience of my political life.

They engaged in absolutely disgraceful negative campaigns, online slander and defamation of character. They sought every opportunity to bring down opposition; they gloated over misfortunes and planned our downfall.

Out of these experiences the greatest advantage is that I am now well prepared to continue to stand against the Labour Party and expose their lack of a credible plan to alleviate poverty in our community.

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