The British health secretary has raised the alarm on what he calls “sectarian politics” in the east London borough of Redbridge.
Wes Streeting’s seat is in Redbridge, the Labour stronghold where the governing party faces a major challenge in the 7 May local elections from the Redbridge Independents, a local party backed by the Jeremy Corbyn-led Your Party.
Middle East Eye reported last month that Streeting - widely tipped as a favourite to be prime minister if Keir Starmer resigns or is deposed - sent a letter to residents of his seat accusing the Redbridge Independents of being "a divisive political party that aims to only represent some of us, more focused on foreign conflicts than on fixing potholes".
Then late last week Streeting told The Times: “We’re voting for Redbridge council, not the UN Security Council. Who you choose to run your local council matters and the Redbridge Independents represent a divisive brand of sectarian politics.”
But is this characterisation of the independents accurate?
