Councillors Marion Fitzgerald and Tim James, who both represent the Hatch Lane and Highams Park North ward, join the existing Reform UK councillor Justin Halabi to form a three-member group in the town hall, reports Marco Marcelline

From top left: Cllr Marion Fitzgerald and Cllr Tim James, Credit: Reform UK

Two Chingford councillors have defected from the Conservative Party and joined Reform UK, with both saying the Tories had “lost their way”.

Councillors Marion Fitzgerald and Tim James, who represent the Hatch Lane and Highams Park North ward, join the existing Reform UK councillor Justin Halabi to form a three-member group in the town hall.

Cllr Fitzgerald has served as a Conservative councillor in Chingford since 1998, while Walthamstow resident and former banker Tim James has served as a councillor since 2014.

Highams Park North and Hatch Lane is tightly fought between left and right parties. In the 2022 local elections, Labour came just 57 votes short of winning a seat there.

Commenting following her defection, Cllr Fitzgerald said: “After many decades serving the Conservative Party, I have made the decision to join Reform UK – a decision which I am proud of and will best serve my constituents.

“Nationally and locally, I support the policies, aims and objectives of the party which has led to my defection, and my views align with that of Reform UK. I look forward to continuing to serve my constituents, thousands of whom have turned to me for help over the years, as a Reform UK councillor.”

Cllr James said: “I am proud to be joining Reform UK today as it has been clear for some time that the Conservative Party has lost its way. It no longer offers solutions to the many problems they have created on a national and local level.

“Reform UK is the only party which is listening to the concerns of the public and understands the need for change. As a councillor for the party, I can now best represent my constituency and strive towards improving Waltham Forest alongside my fellow council members.”

Waltham Forest Tory leader Emma Best said that both councillors had “failed in their pursuit to be readopted as Conservative councillors”, but wished them well.

Speaking to the Echo, Cllr Fitzgerald called her deselection “unjust”, stating she hadn’t been told why she could no longer stand as a Tory candidate.

Cllr Best responded saying she did not sit on the candidate approval panel, which assesses councillor campaigning and performance.

The Tory group leader added: “Our focus [as Conservatives] is the local elections and we are confident that all out candidates represent a cross-section of true community champions that work tirelessly for their neighbours. Waltham Forest Conservatives are proud of how active we are in supporting residents and making sure we have councillors dedicated to our community.”

Commenting on the new defections, a Reform UK spokesman said: “We are delighted to be growing the number of councillors in Waltham Forest ahead of the local elections in May. Marion is a long-serving and valued councillor in her London borough, and Tim brings a wealth of experience to the role. We are excited to welcome them to Reform UK.”

The joint defection means Cllr Fitzgerald and Cllr James join their fellow Hatch Lane and Highams Park North ward colleague Justin Halabi on the Reform benches in the town hall, after he jumped ship in August 2025.

At the time, Reform UK’s Romford chair Phillip Hyde welcomed Cllr Halabi to the right-wing party, revealing he would be standing as a Reform UK councillor in Havering next year, where he has recently moved.

Calling for a by-election, Cllr Best previously told the Echo that Cllr Halabi’s resignation from the party came after he was deselected as a local Conservative candidate due to his move out of the borough.

The Echo understands a Waltham Forest Reform UK group leader will be decided in due course. The Nigel Farage-led party plans to stand candidates in every London ward in May.

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