Newham councillor suddenly quits Labour for Greens after Keir Starmer's Bangladesh comments

A Newham councillor has quit the Labour Party and has joined the Greens, citing his former party's stance on Palestine and Keir Starmer's comments on illegal migrants and Bangladesh as part of the reasons behind his departure. Cllr Areeq Chowdhury announced on Monday (July 1) that he was leaving the party after 13 years as a member and will serve the rest of his term as a Green councillor.

He has been a councillor for Canning Town North ward since 2022. In a statement posted on X, Cllr Chowdhury said his exit had been prompted by Labour's stance and response to Palestine, Mr Starmer's recent comments on Bangladesh and said the Green Party aligned more with his political beliefs.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has contacted the Labour Party for comment. On Palestine, Cllr Chowdhury said: "Labour's eventual support for a ceasefire was very belated and after more than 10,000 Palestinian children had been killed. Furthermore, I was disappointed in the defence of the LBC comments on cutting off power and water in Gaza. I disagreed with, and rejected, the Party's messaging on the Palestine solidarity marches, many of which I have attended."

READ MORE: Tower Hamlets councillor quits Labour and becomes Independent over Keir Starmer's Bangladesh comment

He went on to say: "While [Labour] has historically been a home for anti-racism, I no longer feel this is the case and believe [Labour] needs to rebuild its credibility on the issue. There are numerous examples of where I feel [Labour] has leant into racism, most recently with the comments about 'sending back' migrants to Bangladesh."

Cllr Chowdhury said the language used was "reminiscent of the National Front" and did not align with his pro-migration views. During a debate hosted by The Sun, Mr Starmer was asked by an audience member about how Labour would tackle the deportation of illegal migrants.

In a video clip that had been posted to social media, Starmer said: "At the moment people coming from countries like Bangladesh are not being removed, because they aren't being processed." His comments received backlash, and saw Cllr Sabina Akhtar resign from Labour and her role as deputy leader of the Tower Hamlets Labour Group.

Mr Starmer said it wasn't his intention to cause concern or offend British Bangladeshis, while Labour described the clip as "misinformation". Cllr Chowdhury will serve the rest of his term, which is until May 2026, as a Green councillor. In his first two years as a local councillor, the council unanimously supported a motion motion calling for live facial recognition technology to be banned in Newham until further tests are carried out and anti-discrimination safeguards are put in place.

He has also spoken out against pensioners who were slapped with £150 fines from the council after they fed the birds in one of the borough's parks. Cllr Nate Higgins, leader of the Newham Green Group said he was delighted about Cllr Chowdhury's move to the Greens.

He said: "I've worked closely with [Cllr Chowdhury] on council committees and have seen his great work representing residents in his ward at full council. We know [he] is a compassionate councillor who really cares for the people he represents and the issues he campaigns on."

Cllr Higgins said the "door is always open" for other Labour councillors who who are thinking of defecting to the Greens. He added: "From Palestine to climate, from austerity to democracy - the Green Party are standing up for those who need it most, where Labour are not.

"I know they would feel far more at home in the Green Party. We are growing fast, and the Green Party provides a progressive, honest alternative and a chance to represent residents with integrity." Labour-run Newham Council now has seven opposition councillors, made up of three Green councillors and four Independent councillors.

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