07/10/2026
Labour has lost control of another London borough after a councillor charged with fraud was stripped of the party whip.
Gurbachan Singh Athwal, who represents Heston East on Hounslow council, was charged on Friday, September 25 over “abuse of position” allegations related to a role he held as treasurer of Sri Guru Singh Sabha Southall.The charity manages the two largest Gurdwaras – Sikh places of worship – in Southall.He was suspended from the Labour group on Tuesday, meaning the party has lost its slim majority on the town hall, holding 31 of 62 seats,
The local authority is now classed as under no overall control. Labour now controls just 11 of London’s 32 boroughs, having lost hundreds of councillor seats at the recent local elections. Before the polls, in May, the party was in charge of 21 of the capital’s town halls. Mr Athwal said: These allegations are part of a concerted effort to defame me. I am participating fully in the process of clearing my name.
