Leader of Barnet Labour to step down after decade at helm

Cllr Alison Moore, head of Barnet Labour since 2005, said she is leaving so she can focus on fighting the London Assembly Elections next year, of which she is a shortlisted candidate.

In a statement today, the East Finchley councillor said: “It has been an honour and a privilege to lead the Barnet Labour Group over the past ten years and to nurture what has become a confident and able set of councillors.

“I’m proud to have led a Group that has fought resolutely on the side of our residents in the face of unfair Tory policies and cuts to services locally and nationally – listening to and defending local people on parking, libraries, children’s centres, housing and more.”

She added: “The 30 strong Labour Group is now the largest in the history of Barnet and represents wards and communities right across the borough.

“In 2014 Labour, through our campaign for a “Better Barnet”, came within little more than a hundred votes of taking outright control of Barnet Council and needs to win just two more seats to do so in 2018. I will be leaving that task in the hands of a fantastic Labour team.

“I will remain Leader until the Labour Group select my successor on December 3rd and I will then step up to the exciting challenge of fighting as a London wide Candidate in the London Assembly Elections next May. I have learnt so much over the past ten years as Leader of the Labour Group in Barnet and hope that I can bring my experience of the largest outer London Borough and energy as a campaigning councillor to help elect a Labour Mayor and Assembly to serve the whole of London”.

Cllr Moore was first elected as an East Finchley councillor in 1998.

She became Cabinet member for Education and Children in 1999, a position she held until 2002. She was elected deputy leader of the Barnet Labour in 2003.

She was also the Parliamentary Candidate for Finchley and Golders Green in 2010, an election which saw her lose to current Conservative MP Mike Freer.