Labour's Record in H&F and Visits to Local Groups of Volunteers
Report back from Andy Slaughter, MP for Hammersmith and Chiswick
Andy Slaughter with fellow MPs visits West London Welcome
May 4, 2026
The last few weeks have been busy with local elections coming up and tying things up in Parliament before the end of this parliamentary session, which happened on Wednesday when Parliament was prorogued.
Speaking to residents across the constituency, people have serious concerns about the cost of living, public services and a desire for more stable politics at a time when the world seems more uncertain and volatile than ever. Labour councillors in Hammersmith & Fulham have built a track record over recent years, and that is something not to ignore.
By contrast, the opposition locally appears fragmented. The Conservatives have struggled to mount a coherent campaign, and on the doorstep there is little sign of strong support for newer or fringe parties.
It is always tempting to look for something new, particularly in uncertain times. But neither Reform on the right nor the Greens on the left offer a convincing or tested approach to running local services at this scale.
Hammersmith & Fulham continues to maintain one of the lowest levels of council tax in the country, while expanding services. Most notably, it remains the only council in England to have abolished charges for home care, removing a significant cost for elderly and disabled residents.
There has also been a focus on supporting families, including universal free breakfasts for primary school pupils and a wider package of cost-of-living support.
Housing has been a central priority, backed by over £500 million of investment in housing and estates, improving conditions for existing tenants while delivering new affordable homes. At the same time, supported by the recent Renters' Rights Bill, there will be stronger enforcement in the private rented sector to help raise standards for renters.
On neighbourhood safety, the council’s Law Enforcement Team continues to provide a visible presence across the borough, tackling anti-social behaviour and supporting the police, alongside early intervention through the Gangs, Violence and Exploitation Unit.
The council has introduced a £5 million Green Investment scheme, built one of the densest electric vehicle charging networks in the country, and secured 25 Green Flag awards for parks and open spaces. These are practical improvements that residents see in their local area.
H&F Council has also introduced the Pathway Bond, bringing together over 100 local employers to offer work experience, mentoring and routes into jobs for young people. It directly links investment in the borough to training and employment opportunities for local residents.
You can find out more about the elections and who is standing in your ward here.
Friday 1st May saw the Renters’ Rights Act come into force. The Act will have a hugely positive impact on renters’, making renting more stable by banning ‘no fault’ evictions, clampdowns on unfair rent increases, stopping landlords from discriminating against those who receive benefits, and ending bidding wars by stopping landlords accepting offers above the advertised rent. But this is not the only important piece of legislation this government has passed since the 2024 general election. There has also been:
- The Employment Rights Act, the biggest upgrade in workers’ rights in a generation.
- The Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act, establishing Great British Rail – a publicly owned and accountable body to improve rail services and keep fares low.
- The Great British Energy Act, establishing a publicly owned organisation to bring clean energy and cheaper bills to British consumers and industry.
- The Removal of Two Child Limit Act, bringing 450,000 children out of poverty and providing security to working families by removing the arbitrary two-child benefit cap.
- The Water (Special Measures) Act, reversing the Tory decline in environmental standards and accountability in the water industry, empowering consumers and holding water bosses to account.
- The Crime and Policing Act, tackling violence against women and girls, anti-social behaviour, and retail crime, whilst rebuilding public confidence in policing and the wider criminal justice system.
- The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act, making good on our promise to give back control to local communities and provide mayors with unprecedented powers to deliver growth.
In non-election related local news, I recently visited the H&F Foodbank warehouse along with Ben Coleman, MP for Chelsea and Fulham. It is brilliant that after much uncertainty, Hammersmith and Fulham Council were able to find premises for the warehouse and ensure the foodbank could continue to do great work in Hammersmith and Fulham. You can find out more about the foodbank and how to donate here.
Andy Slaughter with Ben Coleman MP at the H&F Foodbank warehouse
Along with other west London MPs I had lunch at West London Welcome last week, it was great to meet staff, volunteers and users of their services and speak about their experiences. West London Welcome is a community centre run for and with refugees, migrants, people seeking asylum, and other locals. You can find out more about the great work done by West London Welcome here.
Lord Alf Dubs spoke to Hammersmith and Fulham Labour candidates and members on Thursday last week to mark the last week of campaigning for the local election this Thursday on the 7 th of May. Please do use your vote in Hammersmith and Fulham on Thursday and remember to take photo ID with you.
Lord Alf Dubs addresses the Labour candidates in the borough
In justice news, I sit on the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy and was able to question George Robertson last week on his controversial speech about the relative importance of defence and welfare budgets. You can read the transcript of the session on the JCNSS website. I met the new Chief Executive of NACRO, Enver Solomon, and spoke at a seminar on drugs in prisons, highlighting some of the issues the Committee found during our inquiry on this and the subsequent report we published last year.
The Justice Committee evidence session last week was with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice and her management team on all areas of justice. Those who are interested can watch the evidence session back on Parliament Live.
Parliament was prorogued on Wednesday to bring a close to the current parliamentary session. Sitting is now suspended until after the King’s Speech on 13th MayBest wishes,
Andy
andy@andyslaughter.com
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