Seven Independent Councillors in Slough join the Lib Dems
“I am delighted to welcome seven independent councillors who decided to join Slough Liberal Democrats,” said Cllr Frank O’Kelly, chair of Slough local party.
Cllr O’Kelly continued, “I have worked with them and know that they believe in our town, its residents and the importance of accountable Local Government. They are true community champions”.
“Slough Liberal Democrat councillor group will be greatly strengthened by the addition of Cllr Sabia Akram, Cllr Waqas Sabah, Cllr Zaffar Ajaib, Cllr Haqeeq Dar, Cllr Mohammed Nazir, Cllr Naveeda Qaseem, Cllr Jamila Sabah”.
Explaining the decision to join the Lib Dems, Cllr Akram said: “It’s been almost a year since resigning from the Labour Party. This was not a decision we took lightly. Whilst we recognise and value the importance of independent community empowerment and representation, we are deeply concerned about national policies impacting Slough and UK.
“The Lib Dems in Parliament are a great example of constructive opposition. They have opposed the Labour Government mistakes such as cutting winter fuel payments, but supported the Government efforts in tackling the mess left in the NHS by the Tories. The Lib Dems continue to push the Labour Government on issues such as tackling the crisis in social care to fully tackle the NHS crisis and recognising Palestine as an independent state.”
Cllr Akram continued: “We are all independent minded councillors at heart, but getting things done is a team game, and I intend to work with other likeminded councillors to hold the administration to account and get the best possible result for our residents. For example, we will oppose the Tory plans to close the libraries in Cippenham and Langley, but will not oppose sensible and sustainable measures to tackle Slough Council’s financial crisis.”
Cllr Akram also said, “In our resignation letter we outlined Labour Betrayal of Slough and grave concerns regarding the party’s stance on critical policy matters like NHS, education, water and international affairs”. The Lib Dems have a manifesto we can all align to and the power of working together for a better Britain.”
Cllr Waqas Sabah “I’ve always believed in standing up for what’s right, but I also believe in the power of teamwork. I aim to amplify the issues that matter, not dilute them, and work from within to deliver real results for our community.
At the last general election, just eight months ago, we earned over 11 thousand votes as an independent campaign in a snap election, which is a testament to the trust and support of our residents. As a practising solicitor and one of the youngest councillors, I’ve always believed that real progress comes through teamwork. I’m not stepping back from my values, I’m stepping up with a stronger network behind me, so we can achieve even more for the people we serve. That’s why I joined the Lib Dems. I want to be a voice for future generations, ensuring their concerns are heard and their future is shaped by the work we do today”
The Leader of the Lib Dem Group, Cllr Amjad Abbasi, added:
“In the past we've worked in partnership with the Independent Group, and we're delighted they will now be joining us more officially. Anyone who knows them knows they work tirelessly on behalf of local residents.”
Finally, Cllr Frank O’Kelly, said:
“As Chair of the Slough Liberal Democrats I am looking forward to what we can achieve together. In the future, there is a good opportunity for our expanded Lib Dem group of councillors to play a role of constructive opposition, in a similar way to the greatly increased group of Lib Dem MPs in Parliament under the leadership of Sir Ed Davey have done since the General Election in July 2024.”